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MADRID: Roberto Soldado netted four times, including once in his own net, as Valencia's title challenge got off to a thrilling start with a 4-3 comeback win at home to Racing Santander on Saturday.
Unai Emery's side, who finished a distant third behind Barcelona and Real Madrid last season, were ahead in the first minute when Soldado slotted home the rebound following a fierce Pablo Hernandez strike.
Racing were level six minutes later when the Valencia captain nodded the ball into his own goal from a corner and Lautaro Acosta then finished off a fine breakaway to make it 2-1 to the visitors in the 14th minute.
Adrian gave Racing a two-goal cushion 11 minutes after the break before Valencia's French defender Adil Rami pulled a goal back a minute later.
Soldado made amends for his earlier blunder by scoring twice in two minutes, including a last-gasp winner, to snatch a rousing victory that will lift the club following the midweek departure of Spain international Juan Mata to Chelsea.
“We have three important points but they come with a warning,” Emery told a news conference.
“It was a game we suffered in winning and the conclusions from the victory include things that we can improve, such as the defensive situations.”
La Liga is getting underway a week late after last weekend's first round of matches fell victim to a strike called by the players' union over unpaid wages, a dispute with the league that was finally resolved on Thursday.
Those games, including Barca at Malaga and Real at home to Athletic Bilbao, will now be played in January.
Champions Barca begin their bid for a club record-equalling fourth straight title at home to Villarreal on Monday (1900 GMT) while Real Madrid visit Real Zaragoza on Sunday (1800).
LOSING RETURN
Racing's defeat marked a losing return to the Mestalla for Argentine coach Hector Cuper, who led Valencia to successive Champions League finals in 2000 and 2001 when they lost to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively.
“Valencia controlled the match in the last 20 minutes,” said Cuper who was presented before kickoff with a silver miniature of the stadium by home president Manuel Llorente. “We just couldn't hold on.”
In the opening game of the season earlier on Saturday, Real Sociedad held on with 10 men to secure a 2-1 win at Sporting Gijon who also had a player sent off late on.
Granada stumbled in their first match back in the top flight since 1976 when they were beaten 1-0 at home by fellow promoted side and Andalucian rivals Real Betis in the late kickoff.
