THE MATCHUP: Up late with David Beckham

"Goldenballs" indeed.

TORONTO FC (8th) VS. LA GALAXY (4th)

　
BMO FIELD - WEDNESDAY 8PM ET
TV: GOLTV
　
When TFC's cold weather-laden home schedule was released, club owners MLSE must have sighed in relief when they saw LA Galaxy on a chilly April weeknight. The already sluggish BMO Field attendance will no doubt be boosted by grooming enthusiast David Beckham and his Galaxy teammates. This will mark Beckham's first actual league match in Toronto (and likely his last) with his only previous BMO playing appearance being at the All-Star Game. Of course Bruce Arena's team aren't a one man show and are laden with tremendous talent. They also have Chad Barrett. Expectations are high for LA this year with anything less than a MLS Cup being failure. Galaxy are coming off a 1-1 draw with D.C. United on Saturday and playing them at home early in the season, with a possibly injured Landon Donovan, is a tiny silver lining for The Reds.
　
For Toronto, the "gradually getting better" scenario is positive but will have to be accelerated if they hope to get something out of this match. BMO Field has been a friendly confine for the club and often flatters them, but to create the fortress needed, mistakes need to be rectified. The defence cannot allow Galaxy the chances they gave San Jose in Saturday's 1-1 draw as LA's star-heavy strike force will punish them. Nana Attakora and his defensive mates will have to step up their game while The Reds' wingers will need to make the park as wide as possible. With 3 matches in 7 days, it won't be a surprise to see some player rotation especially with tender midfielders Julian de Guzman and Alen Stevanovic. The undoubtedly blustery 8PM temperature may be the extra tonic to help TFC keep its unbeaten streak intact. Don't tell Beckham about shrinkage.
　
MANUFACTURED DERBY NAME: "The Hollywood Northerner"
　
REDS FOR HER PLEASURE: Stefan Frei, Alen Stevanovic, Adrian Cann
DP STRENGTH: David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Juan Pablo Angel
　
THE ODDS
-Finely manicured facial hair designs and oversized designer sunglasses in the stands up by 35%: 5-1
- After years of shanking, scuffing and just plain booting, Chad Barrett finally figures out how to score at BMO Field: 10-1
- High-pitched shrieking from higher than usual female audience causing Bitchy The Hawk to fly into a mad mating frenzy: 100-1
　
WHO ARE YA?
- Local celebrity watchers are upset that the Beckham's soon-to-be-born daughter wasn't conceived during a visit to the Toronto area. The chances of the child being named Burlington, Pickering or Brampton Beckham have thus diminished greatly
- With the ill-advised 8PM kick-off meaning some supporters may not get home until Thursday AM, some plan to camp out in the Food Building's Tiny Tom Donut stand until Saturday's match
- Bruce Arena has been preparing his Galaxy squad for the chilly Toronto weather by demanding his high-priced stars add a fourth ice cube to their post-training mojitos
　
DUTCH-ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION OF THE MATCH:
"Broosh Areenah an de Losh Anjellesh Galakshee"
　
8 O'CLOCK KICK-OFFS SAY: 1-1 Draw
5 O'CLOCK SHADOWS SAY: 1-3 Los Angeles
HEADLINE: "BECKHAM DISTRAUGHT AFTER LOSING ROYAL WEDDING INVITE ON FIELD - DAN GARGAN ASKS FOR APRIL 29TH OFF"