EXCLUSIVE: Mark Bosnich says Melbourne Victory’s clash with an LA Galaxy side on the verge of MLS glory will be a timely litmus test for the A-League's improving standards.
Victory face Galaxy on December 6 at Etihad Stadium with Beckham's side in hot form.
After dispatching Thierry Henry’s New York Red Bulls in the play-offs, Galaxy now have a golden chance to be crowned MLS champions.
They host Houston Dynamo on November 20 in the MLS Cup final at the Home Depot Centre and, with home advantage, are favourites to take out the biggest trophy in US soccer.
After signing former Spurs striker Robbie Keane to partner Landon Donovan up front, LA have taken their domestic form onto the continental stage, too, qualifying for the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Champions League.
Bosnich said this is likely to be the strongest LA side ever to tour Australia since previous visits in 2007 and 2010 against Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets - where they lost both games.
“Obviously there is the Kewell versus Beckham aspect of the game but LA Galaxy now have a chance to win the MLS,” Bosnich, a former teammate of Beckham at Manchester United, told au.fourfourtwo.com.
“So you’re talking about potentially the American champions coming out against one of our best club sides in Australia.
“At the moment you’d have to say on form the best A-League side is Brisbane but the biggest and most important club side is Melbourne Victory - closely followed by Sydney.
“It’s going to be huge, a great game and a good test of where we stand as a league.”
FourFourTwo is producing a special match day program in which Bosnich recalls stories of his time with Beckham in Manchester.
Another player with Beckham memories is Melbourne Heart keeper Clint Bolton.
The former Sydney FC player revealed a little more about the 2007 visit by Galaxy in which Beckham famously scored a cracking free-kick against him.
“I reckon Uffy [Sydney’s Ufuk Talay] deliberately fouled the player. It was a lazy tackle outside the box just to give the fans a chance to see a Beckham free-kick,” he told au.fourfourtwo.com.
“I was ready for him to hit it to that corner – which he did. I guess I was the only person in the stadium who didn’t want him to score. As soon as he hit it I didn’t feel I could do any more. I got a hand to it but it was going away from me,” he said.
“I can look back on it now and appreciate the big crowd – over 80,000 – got their money’s worth. Beckham scored his goal but we ended up winning 5-3. So all-round it was just a great night.”
This visit is perhaps the biggest of LA’s trips down-under with Victory set to parade their own big stars against Beckham with Harry Kewell set to take some of the limelight. Archie Thompson too loves the big games and is in hot form himself at Victory.
And Bolton is keen to see football once again take over the spotlight courtesy of Beckham’s enduring public profile and Kewell's popularity.
“It’s going to be great to have football in Australia on the centre stage again not only on the sports pages but in the social pages, too. We were the support act around Beckham but we enjoyed it too.”
Victory play Galaxy in the Hyundai Club Challenge on December 6 at Etihad Stadium.
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