Ronaldo got Real Madrid off to a winning start on Sunday thanks to an accurate assist from new signing Michael Owen, securing a 1-0 win over Mallorca in the Spanish league.
Though Mallorca never lost heart and continued to surge forward for most of the match, Jose Antonio Camacho’s first outing as Madrid coach was successful.
In a late match on Sunday, FC Barcelona beat Racing de Santander 2-0 through a Ludovic Giuly tap-in and a controversial penalty by Samuel Eto’o.
Elsewhere it was Osasuna 1, Athletic de Bilbao 1; Zaragoza 3, Getafe 1; Sevilla 1, Albacete 0; and Real Sociedad 1, Levante 1.
Last season’s league champions Valencia were due to play Villarreal on Monday.
The powerhouse began slowly, with strikers Owen and Fernando Morientes on the bench and both its star central defenders, Walter Samuel and Jonathan Woodgate, injured and unable to play for the next three weeks.
In the 24th minute Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez jumped to challenge for a high ball and seemed to land awkwardly. He limped off almost immediately and Owen came on for his first game in a Madrid jersey.
The former Liverpool striker’s first chance came 10 minutes later from a Luis Figo cross.
The Portuguese midfielder had caused the Mallorca defence problems on the right wing from the beginning. Owen’s headed shot went just wide of the right post.
Madrid broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute when Owen centred an accurate ball from the right straight into the path of Ronaldo who improvised by chesting the ball into the net with deceptive ease.
David Beckham provided a perfect opportunity for Owen to increase the lead in the 60th minute with a trademark long pass, but the England striker fluffed his shot in the relatively long grass of the Mallorca field.
Santander’s match against Barcelona attracted a large crowd eager to see how Frank Rijkaard’s team would begin the season, although it was disappointing that Brazil star Ronaldinho could not play due to an ankle injury.
Swedish international striker Henrik Larsson came close in the 25th and 32nd minutes, but it was evident that Santander’s Israel international goalkeeper Dudu Aguate was in excellent form, halting every chance in the first half.
French international Giuly finally beat the offside trap in the 68th minute and notched the Catalan team’s first goal.
Five minutes later Xavier ”Xavi” Hernandez dived in the penalty area, fooled the referee and won an undeserved penalty for Barcelona, which Cameroon international striker Eto’o coolly converted.
In another match, Zaragoza made a stunning comeback after finding themselves a goal down thanks to Jose Antonio’s 17th-minute strike for Getafe.
Brazil defender Alvaro Maior had an excellent night, finding the net in the 24th and 70th minutes, while his Brazil international teammate Savio Bartolini finished the job off for Zaragoza in the 63rd.
This was Getafe’s first-ever match in the Primera Liga and a warning as to the level of competition they are likely to expect this season.
Levante, who last played in the Liga 40 years ago, were at least able to take a point from their match against Real Sociedad. — Sapa-AP