Fil-Am thwarts Beckham's goal

MANILA, Philippines - It took a 5-10 Fil-Am goalkeeper to spoil celebrated star David Beckham’s bid for the Major League Soccer (MLS) championship in the British hero’s third year with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Nick Rimando, 30, saved two penalty kicks and paved the way for Real Salt Lake to upset the Galaxy, 5-4, in a shootout after the title match ended 1-1 in overtime before 46,011 fans in Seattle last Nov. 22.

Rimando, whose father is Filipino and mother is Mexican, has never been to the Philippines but said he hopes to visit someday soon.

“Everybody knows I’m Filipino because of my eyes,” said Rimando quoted by Truth Esguerra of the Philippine News. “I’m happy to be Filipino and I’m happy to be American and being in the US playing soccer. It doesn’t matter what color your skin is or color your hair is. I’m out there doing my job and they look at me as a person.”

Rimando attended Montclair High School and played two years at UCLA before turning pro. He was the backup goalkeeper for the US at the 1999 World Youth Championships in Nigeria and played for the US national squad in an international match against El Salvador in 2002. Rimando’s twin appearances with the US team disqualified him from playing for any other country, including the Philippines, under FIFA rules.

Source : Philstar