Beckham bends it in Sydney

DAVID Beckham scored with a trademark free kick as Sydney FC claimed a 5-3 victory over the LA Galaxy in a fiery exhibition match at Sydney's Telstra Stadium tonight.

More than 80,000 packed in to see the world's most famous footballer in action for the first - and likely only - time on Australian soil.

And Beckham did nothing to disappoint, curling a classic 25 metre free kick into the top right corner of the net on the stroke of halftime.

It was the undoubted high point of an entertaining clash, which lacked nothing for passion as tensions boiled over between the teams on several occasions.

After the match like a true ambassador for the game he walked around the ground applauding the spectators for coming.. with his shirt off of course.