LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena and his star midfielder David Beckham leave Australia with an overwhelmingly positive view of the strength of the A-League after the MLS champions were pushed to the brink by Melbourne Victory at Etihad Stadium.
Both Arena and Beckham were pleased by the standard of the game, which ended in the visiting side's favour thanks to a penalty shootout, and feel it offered their players a good hit out ahead of their season break.
Beckham was the undoubted man on everyone's lips in his first appearance in Melbourne and he left feeling he and his team-mates got a strong hitout.
"I think the first 25 minutes we were poor. I think our legs were still in Philippines. We got ourselves back into the games and Robbie (Keane) got us back into the game with two penalties which was good," he said.
"We are happy to end the tour like this."
"All in all, I think they are a very good team, they've got some talented players and that causes problems."
Arena too was surprised by the Victory's fast start to the game and said the fans got value for money, especially in the first half.
"The game was fun for people watching. Coaches maybe not so happy, but that's okay, it's an exhibition and its; supposed to be like that," he said.
Beckham almost produced a highlight which would have been seen around the world when he nearly lobbed Melbourne Victory keeper Ante Covic from past the halfway line.
But unlike some of his famous goals of the past, this one failed to hit the target.
"I was waiting on it to turn. I knew I had the keeper and I knew if it was on target it was going to go in, but it just didn't turn, so it missed," he said.
The downside for Beckham was the continuation of his hamstring problems, with the injury forcing his from the field late in the game.
While he has struggled with the injury for the better part of four weeks, he is hopeful rest will be enough to get him back running without pain sooner rather than later.
"It's not great, because I've been playing with the torn hamstring since our final. Which is never easy, but I love playing and there is chance of me being out there than I will," he said.
"There's always a risk of (re-injury). But we've got great medical staff and they've taken care of it since I did it four days before our final. They'll look after me."