LONDON, Sept 1: David Beckham wasted little time making his mark on the opening day of the Spanish league season, scoring after only three minutes to help Real Madrid to a 2-1 home win over Real Betis.
It was also the first week of the new Italian Serie A season, with all the big guns getting off to winning starts.
However, the return to action will be short-lived as the major leagues take a break next weekend for the latest round of Euro 2004 qualifiers and, in Spain’s case, a friendly against Portugal.
England captain Beckham, criticised after failing to spark in pre-season games, side-footed home a Ronaldo pass to set the Spanish champions on their way to victory.
Joaquin equalised for Betis but Beckham, who also hit the bar with a free kick, then had a hand in Ronaldo’s winner.
Barcelona also made an encouraging start with a 1-0 away win over Athletic Bilbao as Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho made his league debut.
Real Sociedad, who were pipped to the title by Real on the final day of last season, were held to a 1-1 draw by Espanyol.
GERMANY
It was Cup time in Germany and, as usual, the competition produced a surprise result, with last season’s beaten finalists Kaiserslautern knocked out 4-1 by amateur side Eintracht Braunschweig.
VfL Bochum were the other Bundesliga club to exit as they lost 2-1 at promoted division two team Jahn Regensburg, while only an 89th-minute equaliser by Dirk Lottner saved Cologne from a similar fate at amateurs Oberneuland. Cologne eventually won 5-2 after extra time.
Holders Bayern Munich had no problems against their opponents from Borussia Neunkirchen, a hat-trick from Peruvian striker Roque Santa Cruz helping them to a 5-0 win.
Hertha Berlin also put failure to score in the Bundesliga behind them, knocking in six against Reutlingen for a comfortable 6-1 victory.
However, their efforts were nothing compared to second division side Wacker Burghausen, who trounced amateurs TSV Gerbrunn 14-0.
ENGLAND
Arsenal remained the only 100 percent team in the Premier League after their 2-1 win at Manchester City made it four wins in a row - their best start since 1947.
Arsenal recovered from a Lauren own goal with strikes by Sylvain Wiltord and Freddie Ljungberg to move to 12 points — three clear of champions Manchester United, whose perfect start ended when striker James Beattie’s 88th-minute header gave Southampton a 1-0 win.
Big-spending Chelsea’s two-game 100 percent record also ended on Saturday when they were held to a 2-2 home draw by Blackburn Rovers.
Liverpool collected their first win of the season, Michael Owen scoring twice in a 3-0 success at city rivals Everton, and there were also victories for Leeds United, Fulham, Aston Villa and Birmingham City.
ITALY
Champions Juventus led a sweep of season-opening victories for the top Serie A clubs as they crushed Empoli 5-1.
Juve strikers Alessandro Del Piero, David Trezeguet and Marco Di Vaio scored in Turin but Inter Milan, last season’s runners-up, had to work hard for a 2-0 victory over Modena.
Lazio outclassed promoted Lecce 4-1 and AS Roma beat Udinese 2-1. European champions AC Milan get their campaign underway against Ancona on Monday.
FRANCE
Monaco, watched by Spanish striker Fernando Morientes who has joined them on loan, beat promoted Metz 1-0 to seize the French Ligue 1 lead on Sunday.
Morientes, 27, saw his future team mates clinch victory against Metz after going to Monaco to complete a one-year loan from Real Madrid.
Young defender Sebastien Squillaci nodded home in the 38th minute for Monaco, who were short of a striker after Congo’s Shabani Nonda was injured last week.
Olympique Marseille climbed to second, behind Monaco only on goal difference, after winning 1-0 at AC Ajaccio in Sunday’s late match thanks to a 64th-minute goal from Camel Meriem.
ITALIAN FIRST DIVISION RESULTS:
Brescia 1 Chievo Verona 1
Lazio 4 Lecce 1
Inter Milan 2 Modena 0
Juventus 5 Empoli 1
Perugia 2 Siena 2
Udinese 1 AS Roma 2
Bologna 2 Parma 2
Reggina 2 Sampdoria 2
FRENCH LIGUE 1 RESULTS:
Monaco 1 Metz 0
RC Lens 1 Nice 0
AC Ajaccio 0 Olympique Marseille 1
En Avant Guingamp 2 Olympique Lyon 0
Nantes 0 Girondins Bordeaux 0
AJ Auxerre 2 Stade Rennes 1
Le Mans 0 Racing Strasbourg 3
Montpellier 3 Paris St Germain 2
Sochaux 2 Lille 1
Toulouse 0 Bastia 2
—Reuters