Beckham and coach Frank Yallop both felt the Galaxy should have received one — possibly two — penalty kicks for fouls against Donovan.

“That can’t be missed,” Yallop said. “It cost us the match.”

Looking on was England coach Steve McClaren, who is interested in Beckham’s status for an Aug. 22 exhibition against Germany and European Championship qualifiers against Israel on Sept. 8 and Russia four days later. Beckham planned to meet with McClaren after the game.

“He’ll only judge me off seeing me play, seeing me get minutes on the pitch,” Beckham said. “That’s the only way he can be confident I can be in the squad.”

The game’s only goal was scored by Luciano Emilio in the 27th minute, his league-leading 13th.

Beckham’s appearance was the latest milestone in his move to the United States, a signing that has created unprecedented publicity for a league that hopes to elevate itself above niche status in a crowded sports landscape. The debut had been delayed by a sprained ankle, sustained while playing for England on June 6 and aggravated in his Real Madrid finale 11 days later.

Weigh in on hot sports topics Beckham will make soccer a major U.S. sport

Since joining the Galaxy, Beckham had made only a 16-minute appearance as a substitute against England’s Chelsea. He then missed all three of the Galaxy’s SuperLiga games as well as Sunday’s scoreless MLS draw at Toronto.

The crowd was the fourth largest to watch an MLS game at RFK, and more than twice United’s previous largest home draw this year. Tailgaters took their spots in the parking lots several hours before kickoff, and a group of United fans — known to sing loud and long during every match — hung a huge banner that read “We sing better than your wife,” a reference to Beckham’s pop-singing wife, Victoria.

Slideshow   The Week in Sports Pictures A kayaker flips out, a racehorse eyes the Triple Crown and more. more photos

Pele’s U.S. league debut came on June 18, 1975, for the North American Soccer League’s Cosmos at Downing Stadium on Randalls Island. Two days earlier, Pele had made his first Cosmos appearance in a home exhibition against Dallas.