Galaxy defender Abel Xavier was upset over the foul and yellow card from referee Mark Geiger that set up the game-tying goal by Columbus.

“C’mon, the referee is so bad,” Xavier said. “The question of one of the things they must improve in this league is the referees. It is very clear my foot was on the ball. If someone has eyes, they see clear contact with the ball.

“I can name 15 wrong decisions with the ref on both sides.”

So the Galaxy still haven’t beaten a team with a winning record this season.

But at least they didn’t lose after blowing a lead as Coach Ruud Gullit noted has already happened this season:

“At the beginning of the season we lost these games in the last couple of minutes.”

Still, as Gullit and several players observed, it was a draw that felt like a loss:

“We gave the goals away,” he said. “You have to win these games. It’s two points thrown away.”

Crew Coach Sigi Schmid was none too impressed with how Donovan snatched the first Galaxy goal with his challenge on goalkeeper Will Hesmer:

“That was an obvious push. … Landon obviously pushed Hesmer. … He gets a way with a great shove in his lower back.”

Here’s David Beckham thinking like a referee on the penalty he drew:

“He grabbed me around the waist. I felt that was enough contact for a penalty.”

Landon Donovan, well, wasn’t so sure – but wasn’t complaining either:

“I wasn’t sure David really got fouled, but whatever. It’s the referee’s decision to make.

Donovan believes the team isn’t doing enough to protect the defense:

The issue is (opponents) are able to get from their defensive end into our attack in sometimes two or three passes and easily. It’s not always just the back four that’s struggling.”

Here’s Schmid on South Bay product Robbie Rogers:

“Sometimes Robbie dropped too deep at times. He’s been too honest defensively. Now he’s got to that point of learning how to cheat (going forward) and when to cheat and get forward at the right time. But still he’s an important player for us and he had an impact on the game for us.”

By the way, Beckham insisted he was 100 percent, but then conceded a left foot injury was bothering him in the first half until he got treatment at half time:

“I got a kick on it a couple of days ago in training and it was still playing up slightly.”

The game story is here.

Finally, just to end things on the right (wrong?) foot, here’s Beckham on his blazing miss that could have sealed the game for the Galaxy:

“I’m disappointed not to finish the game off there. I felt personally the ground gave way, the grass gave way as I hit the ball. … When you get an opportunity like that in the last couple of minutes, it’s disappointing not to score.”

The grass gave way?

I dunno. He sure looks like he knows he screwed that up.

The Galaxy managed to blow two leads in the second half and in the end escaped with a 3-3 tie with David Beckham blowing a gorgeous chance to smash home the winner in the 90th minute. Afterward he slumped to the turf, hanging his head in shame.

Substitute Steven Lenhart was the hero for Columbus, poking home the ball in the 88th minute to make it 3-3 after Steve Cronin punched away a hard Frankie Hejduk shot.

Edson Buddle’s ninth goal of the season had made it 2-0 for the Galaxy in the opening moments of the second half. But the Crew came back via a freakish Brad Evans goal in the 67th minute and Robbie Rogers drawing a penalty two minutes later that Barros Schelotto converted to make it 2-2.

Beckham drew a penalty in the 82nd minute that allowed the Galaxy to take a 3-2 lead after Edson Buddle’s fine work down the left sideline had the Crew back-pedaling. He pulled it back to Beckham, who was tripped in the box by O’Rourke.

Back later with locker room reaction.

Defensive calamities for the Crew and a tepid offense combined to allow the Galaxy to take a one goal lead after the first 45 minutes.

A horrendous mistake by Crew goalkeeper Will Hesmer in just the fourth minute gifted the Galaxy their goal, the Columbus net minder failing to hold a David Beckham cross when challenged by Landon Donovan who then turned and fired the ball home.

The Galaxy could have had a couple more, notably when defender Chad Marshall completely missed a pass from Hesmer, allowing Beckham to almost chip the goalkeeper.

Donovan also missed from eight yards when wide open and an unmarked Edson Buddle sent a ball from a diving header wide of the post, too.

The Crew’s best chance came just before half time, Robbie Rogers almost nipping in to get on the end of a long through ball, but he got under it too much and put it over the bar from about 12 yards.

That was the most we’d seen so far from Rogers, who like Argentine star Guillermo Baros Schelotto, were largely kept in check by the Galaxy.

Beckham has also looked out of sorts and appeared to limp slightly in the 34th minute after an apparent problem with his left foot.

The Galaxy (6-4-2), the highest-scoring team in MLS and sitting first in the Western Conference plays the Columbus Crew (7-4-1), which is lying second in the Eastern Conference.

The Galaxy have won four of their last five games propelled by the scoring exploits of Edson Buddle, who has eight goals during that stretch.

In contrast, the Crew have won just once in five games and scored a mere three goals, which all came in their last outing against Kansas City.

Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit makes just two changes to the team that defeated San Jose last weekend with Josh Tudela dropping to the bench and Ely Allen moving back into midfield since Landon Donovan has returned from international duty to partner Edson Buddle up front.

Steve Cronin is in goal as usual behind an unchanged back four of Chris Klein, Sean Franklin, Abel Xavier and Mike Randolph.

David Beckham, Alvaro Pires and Ante Jazic line up alongside Allen in midfield.

On the bench: Joe Franchino, Alan Gordon, Brandon McDonald, Troy Roberts, and Greg Vanney.

Crew Coach Sigi Schmid makes three changes with Frankie Hejduk returning from international duty with the U.S. to slot into the defense in place of Andy Iro, while Brad Evans and Nicholas Hernnandez move into a five-man midfield in place of Duncan Oughton and Emmanuel Ekpo.

Former Galaxy forward Alejandro Moreno will play as the lone striker as Schmid seeks to slow the rampant Galaxy attack by clogging up the midfield.

Rolling Hills Estates Robbie Rogers, who has five goals so far this season, starts in midfield.

It’s finally cooling down in Carson, so hopefully the heat wave won’t interfere (too much) with the game.