CARSON, Calif. -- Steven Gerrard didn't find things easy, but his LA Galaxy debut was certainly rewarding.
The Liverpool legend impressed during a solid first half in Saturday night's 2-1 victory over Mexico's Club América in an International Champions Cup friendly, then promised there would be more, and better, to come.
“It was a great feeling [to play with the Galaxy],” Gerrard, who was not available for media after the game, said in quotes distributed by the club. “It was a a difficult game, and I thought [Club América] were very good. I thought after 15 or 20 minutes, that the team settled really well, we played some good football, and we got our deserved equalizer.
“For me personally, it was good to get 45 minutes under my belt, and I'll keep getting better and better, and the more I get used to my teammates, I'll improve.”
Gerrard offered a brief glimpse of the qualities that made him a legend with Liverpool and England's national team, with heady passing, a few timely tackles, and a fine run that nearly resulted in a goal midway through the first half, after América had taken an early lead.
“I think Steven played well,” head coach Bruce Arena said during the postgame news conference. “His passing was very good, his partnership with Juninho was good, won some tackles, helped create some chances. Could have had a goal -- I think the 'keeper [Hugo Gonzalez] made a great save on him.
“So his first time out, it was very encouraging. He looked like he belonged, his leadership was real good, and I thought it was solid.”
Gerrard played primarily as an attacking midfielder, figuring mightily in the Galaxy's possession game that set the terms from about the 15th minute until halftime, when Arena made wholesale changes to his lineup. Juninho, in more of a holding role, gave LA a direct dimension, hitting two long balls for Robbie Keane, the first leading to a scoring chance in the 15th minute and the second setting up the captain's 45th-minute equalizer.
Their partnership seemed, in its first test, to add a dimension that's been missing from LA's game.
“When you play with players of Steven's quality, he makes other players around him better,” said defender Todd Dunivant, whose first-half appearance was his first for LA's first team since early April. “It's not just about his game ... and between him and Juninho, it's going to be a pretty dominant pair in there. And you talk about Steven's range of passing, Juninho's got the same thing, and you saw it on Robbie's goal. It's going to be fun to watch.”
It's going to get much better, Juninho proclaimed.
“Still need more time,” he said. “Still trying to figure it out on the pitch. Today was the first game, Gerrard's [first game], and looking forward to find that quickly.”
Gerrard is still in preseason form, and Arena hasn't decided whether he'll play in Tuesday's U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal at Real Salt Lake (10 pm ET, YouTube.com). He's slated to make his MLS league debut in next Friday's California Clasico against San Jose at StubHub Center (11 pm ET on UniMas)..
“Physically, it was tough,” said Gerrard, who last saw game action in Liverpool's May 24 season finale. “I haven't played a competitive match for six or seven weeks, so it was very important that I got out there and got 45 minutes. Hopefully, I get some more minutes Tuesday and be ready for the big game on Friday.”
Arena said it would take “probably about a month” for Gerrard to gain full fitness.
“It's going to take some games,” he said. “It doesn't come from training. He's going to have to play some matches, and we'll try to slowly build him into that.”
Scott French covers the LA Galaxy for MLSsoccer.com.
