NEW YORK (Ticker) – Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber on Thursday suspended Houston Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark nine games and fined him $10,000 for violent conduct directed toward FC Dallas’ Carlos Ruiz during Sunday’s game.

Clark will serve the nine-game suspension throughout the remainder of the 2007 regular season, MLS Cup playoffs and into the 2008 regular season.

The suspension and fine levied to Clark includes the automatic one-game suspension and $250 fine for a red card offense.

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LOS ANGELES — David Beckham’s injury-interrupted first season with theLos Angeles Galaxy made it “very, very strange and unique,” general managerAlexi Lalas said Thursday.

“You can plan all you want for the arrival of someone like David Beckham,but when that hurricane blows in, it is unlike anything that you have everseen,” he said in remarks at the Honda Soccer Symposium.

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By Luis Bueno Special to PA SportsTicker

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) – Hyped for the first half of 2007, David Beckham’s first year with the Los Angeles Galaxy has nevertheless been more about his injuries and less about his famous free kicks.

Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas said Thursday he has learned from the experience and may put the new lessons into practice as Beckham is set to return from a knee injury.

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CARSON, Calif. — David Beckham, sidelined since injuring his knee in a gameon Aug. 29, returned to practice with the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday.

When Beckham went out with a sprained medial collateral ligament in hisright knee, it was estimated he would miss at least six weeks, and possiblywould be unable to play for the Major League Soccer team again this season.

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LOS ANGELES (TICKER) — David Beckham will not return to the Premier League on loan during the MLS offseason in the United States, his spokesman has insisted.

Sunderland is the latest club to be reportedly offering the England midfielder an opportunity during Major League Soccer’s break.

But a spokesman for Beckham said the player was contracted to the Los Angeles Galaxy for five years and would not be going to another club on any basis.

“There will be no loan moves or short-term contracts,” the spokesman told PA Sport. “He is under contract to the Galaxy.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Troy Roberts and Kyle Martino scored in the first half andthe Los Angeles Galaxy beat the Columbus Crew 2-1 Sunday.

The Galaxy (7-13-6) overcame a goal in the second minute by Alejandro Morenoand improved its chances of making the MLS Cup playoffs despite a poor start tothe season and a stretch of eight losses in nine games in August and September.

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FRISCO, Texas — Dwayne De Rosario, Eddie Robinson and Stuart Holden scoredgoals and the Houston Dynamo defeated FC Dallas 3-0 on Sunday.

Houston (14-7-6) pulled into a tie with Chivas USA for first-place in theWestern Division with the win. FC Dallas (12-11-4) lost for the fifth time inits past seven games.

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CARSON, Calif. — Claudio Suarez scored on a penalty kick in the 82nd minuteas Chivas USA salvaged a tie with the Chicago Fire 1-1 on Saturday night.

Chivas (14-6-6) maintained their spot atop the Western Conference standingswhile the Fire (8-10-9) inched closer to third-place Kansas City.

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Juan Pablo Angel scored on a penalty kick with 10minutes remaining and the New York Red Bulls secured a 2-2 tie with Real SaltLake on Saturday night.

It was Angel’s 17th goal of the season, breaking the franchise record heldby Adolfo Valencia, and was set up by Real Salt Lake defender Carey Talley’sfoul on New York midfielder Seth Stammler in the 80th minute.

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WASHINGTON — Luciano Emilio became the league’s first 20-goal scorer infive years and D.C. United extended its unbeaten streak to 11 matches with a 4-1victory over Toronto FC on Saturday night.

Emilio, who leads the league with 20 goals, became the first MLS player toscore 20 in a season since Los Angeles’ Carlos Ruiz (24) and New England’sTaylor Twellman (23) in 2002.

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