Beckham not at his best, says Queiroz

Carlos Queiroz, the Real Madrid coach, has admitted that David Beckham still needs time to adapt to his new surroundings after his move from Manchester United.

The England captain scored his first goal for the Spanish champions on Tuesday and yesterday he set up their third in a free-scoring demolition of a Hong Kong select team featuring a number of China internationals.

But Queiroz, also a Madrid new boy and United old boy, believes Beckham is still not at his best following his protracted transfer to the Primera Liga. "This is the United Nations of football," Queiroz said. "He needs time to improve in terms of language and understanding."

Beckham started the game in the HK Stadium in a withdrawn role on the inside right of midfield with Michel Salgado charging up the right flank on his outside. One soaring crossfield ball after 20 minutes picked out Roberto Carlos but, while the Brazilian beat his marker in controlling the ball on his chest, he knocked it too far ahead of himself and the chance was lost.

However, a similar pass to Ronaldo after 33 minutes was more successful as the former Internazionale striker took the ball in his stride before battering it home.

Raul thought he had given Madrid the lead in the third minute only for his effort to be ruled offside but the Brazilian did set up Madrid's opener three minutes later when he went down in the box to win a penalty and Luis Figo converted the spot-kick.

Ronaldo doubled their lead in the 14th minute, bamboozling his Hong Kong marker with a series of step-overs on the left of the box before rifling his shot in off the near post.

The home side pulled a goal back in the 26th minute when the Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas was caught in no-man's land after a Hong Kong corner.

But Beckham laid on the third for Ronaldo and Raul added a fourth in the 35th minute from a Roberto Carlos throw-in, confirming Madrid's dominance.

However, the hosts surprised the Spanish champions again with a second goal in first-half stoppage time.

Beckham drifted further right in the second half as, in the close company of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and Figo, he looked increasingly one-sided when he strayed into the middle. He had a chance to add to the scoreline just before he was substituted to warm applause in the 76th minute.

The 28-year-old's first goal for Madrid came from a free-kick and, as he lined up with Roberto Carlos following a 73rd-minute foul, a second looked on the cards.

The Brazilian - likely to share set-piece duties with Beckham - made a dummy run but the Englishman spun his effort high over the crossbar.