GALAXY HONORS MIDFIELDER JONES BECKHAM ENTERS IN SECOND HALF OF TIE GALAXY 1, NEW YORK 1.

Byline: BILLY WITZ

Staff Writer

CARSON -- It was Cobi Jones' farewell night at the Home Depot Center.

It may have been the Galaxy's as well.

Needing a victory to keep the inside track for a playoff berth, neither Jones' goodbye game, an appearance by David Beckham nor a hopeful crowd could inspire the Galaxy to anything more than a 1-1 draw with New York on Thursday night.

The tie kept the Galaxy, which has 34 points, alive for one of the final two playoff spots, but rather than control its own playoff fate -- as it would have done with a victory - it now must win at Chicago (37 points) in the season finale Sunday and hope that Kansas City (37 points) loses at Dallas or Colorado (35 points) does not beat Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

That means the Galaxy will have 48 hours to express their regrets before they park themselves in front of a television set in Chicago and hope for the best.

"Now we have to scoreboard watch," defender Chris Klein said.

Though it was an up-and-down, fast-paced game from start to finish, neither team could score after Troy Roberts' header put the Galaxy ahead in the 15th minute, and was answered within 60 seconds by Jozy Altidore's header for NewYork.

During the Galaxy's five-game winning streak, the club's longest in the regular season since 1998, during which it crawled from the cellar into the thick of the playoff race, it scored the winning goal in the final 25 minutes of every game.

While the crowd waited for Beckham to deliver some magic in the final moments, the only real scoring chance was one that nearly ended their season. In the 91st minute, New York forward Juan Pablo Angel fed Altidore and the 17-year-old phenom fired a shot past Galaxy goalie Joe Cannon and inches wide of the far post.

As soon as referee Kevin Stott blew his whistle, it was clear from the look on the faces of the Galaxy players that they'd let an opportunity slip past. A moment later, Landon Donovan punctuated the frustration by kicking the ball halfway across the field.

"We needed a little more tonight," Donovan said. "Maybe guys are tired. It's hard to keep getting up and keep going for that many games in a row. That's why teams don't ever win this many games in a row."

Coach Frank Yallop emptied his bench early playing for the win. His first two substitutes were forwards, Edson Buddle and Gavin Glinton, who had come on to score and set up second-half goals against Toronto on Sunday.

In the 68th minute, Yallop used his final one for Beckham.

When the English star, who hadn't played since spraining knee ligaments in the SuperLiga final Aug. 29, checked in, it suddenly felt like summertime again -- shrieks and flashbulbs emanating from all over the stadium.

But Beckham, who didn't talk to the media afterward, looked like a player who hadn't played in seven weeks. His touches were hardly delicate and his passes were lacking the accuracy and touch he has built his reputation upon.

"It lifts everybody that he was available," Yallop said. "Obviously it's never easy coming in to a game like that for 20 minutes or so or whatever it was. He's a bit rusty, obviously, with his play but he's not hindered by the injury, which is good. I think his match fitness is the problem."

Said Jones: "It was a very difficult match for us. Overall, we're satisfied with the tie because at least it gives us a chance to go on to the playoffs."

While the Galaxy needed no extra motivation, they had some in wanting to win for Jones, the only remaining player from MLS' inaugural season who has spent his entire career with the same club.

Jones, who plans to retire, was honored before the game in a 15-minute ceremony that included video highlights of his career and testimonials from former teammates and coaches. All the Galaxy players, with the exception of Jones, warmed up in Cobi T-shirts that were given out to fans.

As the Riot Squad, stationed in the southeast corner of the stadium, chanted "one more year," Jones was posed with MLS commissioner Don Garber, New York and former national team coach Bruce Arena and several others, who presented him with a framed United States jersey.

As the ceremony wrapped up, Jones wiped his eyes and took the microphone to thank everyone who had supported him throughout his career. After the game, he thanked the crowd again in a taped video that was displayed on the scoreboard. Standing at midfield after all his teammates had departed, Jones clapped his hands to fans around the stadium.

As it turned out, he may not have been the only one bidding adieu.

[e-mail]

[phone]

GALAXY

SUNDAY

vs. Chicago, noon, Toyota Park.

TV: FSN, Telefutura (Spanish).

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

(color) David Beckham, left, and Galaxy teammates wear Cobi Jones T-shirts in his honor during a pregame ceremony Thursday at the Home Depot Center.

Chris Carlson/Associated Press