Sick Beckham happy after England victory

STUTTGART, June 25 (Reuters) England captain and match-winner David Beckham said he was physically sick in the second half of their World Cup second-round 1-0 victory over Ecuador.

Beckham's trademark lon-range free kick on the hour proved the difference between the sides as he became the first England player to score in three World Cup finals in a row.

''I didn't feel well before the game but I thought I would be fine and in the first half I felt fine,'' he told BBC television.

''But it (the sickness) continued in the second half and it just came out.'' He continued: ''I haven't scored many free kicks this season, and in the last two games i've been struggling (with free kicks).

''Roberto Carlos (his Real Madrid team mate) sent me a text saying 'score me a free kick'.

''We're happy. We've done our job. It was ugly at times and we haven't played to our full potential but we're happy tonight. We're through to the quarter-finals.'' England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said he had no option but to substitute his captain shortly before the end. ''He was gone physically,'' he said.

REUTERS KD KN2258