COMMERCE CITY — About 50 minutes before the Colorado Rapids' sold-out match Sunday, the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy entered the pitch at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. It hardly elicited a whisper among the handful of fans just beginning to filter into the stadium.

It was a far cry from the frenzy that was anticipated when David Beckham was scheduled to make his first competitive appearance at the Rapids' impressive new facility.

The "Beckhamania" the Rapids expected to be a part of Sunday disappeared Friday. That's when the Galaxy announced the international star would remain in Los Angeles to rest his ailing left ankle after playing three full matches in six days, two of which were on consecutive days on two continents.

Those fans most disappointed by Beckham's no-show, as well as the Rapids' decision to not offer refunds, most likely kept their discouragement to themselves, as many empty seats littered the sold-out venue.

Those who attended, though, seemed more intent on cheering for the Rapids than they were lamenting the absence of Major League Soccer's new drawing card. And the fans were rewarded for their patience as the Rapids secured their first three-match winning streak in MLS play in almost two years.

"Maybe the standing-room-only tickets they sold (on Wednesday) could have been refunded, but certainly not the rest of them," said season-ticket holder Scott Gutberlet, of Evergreen, who attended the match with two daughters wearing Beckham apparel. "They marketed this hard with Beckham, but this is about the Rapids. People don't really have a gripe."

Rapids general manager Jeff Plush maintained that the club has received a relatively minimal amount of angry feedback leading up to the beginning of the match Sunday, a claim that was backed by the near absence of negative signs and banners and the lack of any derisive chants during the contest.

"Out of about 18,500 tickets sold, maybe 40 or 50 have come out and said they're disappointed," Plush said. "I think it is important to know more than 18,400 people were into the game. I think a lot of people live in a glass-half-full world. Sure, it would have been more fun to have Beckham, but for the game, we really need these points."

Although Plush conceded it was understandable for fans to be disappointed at Beckham's no-show, he said the club never seriously considered any type of refund package — even for the 500 standing-room-only tickets released Wednesday and billed as the last opportunity to secure seats for Beckham's first match in Denver.

"One of my favorite quotes is from (NBA commissioner) David Stern — 'Sports is the ultimate reality show.' Things happen," Plush said. "I feel very confident those people who came to the stadium will more than get their money's worth."