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Real Madrid get off to winning start despite Deportivo scare

EUROPEAN SOCCER ROUND-UP : LA LIGA: Cristiano Ronaldo made a goalscoring debut in La Liga on Saturday night, helping Real Madrid…

Mon Aug 31 2009 - 01:00

EUROPEAN SOCCER ROUND-UP: LA LIGA: Cristiano Ronaldo made a goalscoring debut in La Liga on Saturday night, helping Real Madrid squeeze through their first test of the season 3-2 at home to Deportivo La Coruna.

Real spent €250 million over the close season, including a world record fee of over €90 million to sign Ronaldo from Manchester United, and despite twice squandering the lead they made a winning start to their new era.

Raul opened the scoring after some clever work from Kaka, another of their big-money signings, only for poor marking to gift Deportivo their first equaliser through Riki.

World Player of the Year Ronaldo restored the lead with a penalty won by Raul and after Deportivo had again levelled with a Juan Carlos Valeron shot, a long-range drive from Lassana Diarra sealed victory. “Expectations are always very high and the nerves and pressure were having an effect throughout the match,” new coach Manuel Pellegrini said.

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“But we scored three goals and had many more very clear chances. We dominated the match and for the first game of the season the team put in a solid performance.”

Atletico Madrid’s campaign got off to a poor start earlier yesterday when they were thrashed 3-0 at Malaga.

Juan Mata’s clinical strike and a lucky finish from Pablo Hernandez gave Valencia a 2-0 win over 10-man Sevilla in their opening La Liga match of the season yesterday. Sevilla’s chances on a badly cut-up pitch at the Mestalla were dealt a blow shortly before the break when Mali striker Frederic Kanoute was shown a second yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Valencia captain Carlos Marchena. Champions Barcelona play Sporting Gijon tonight.

SERIE A: New Juventus signing Diego stole the show in only his second Serie A start with two stunning goals in a 3-1 win at AS Roma yesterday. The Brazilian playmaker, signed from Werder Bremen in the close season, demonstrated why Juve fans hope he is the missing link to bridge the gap with champions Inter Milan this term.

Serie A champions Inter Milan humiliated 10-man AC Milan 4-0 to emphatically earn the derby spoils on Saturday night. Thiago Motta, Diego Milito, Maicon and Dejan Stankovic netted for the champions in their second Serie A outing of the season, with Gennaro Gattuso being sent off in the first half for AC.