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Real, Milan off to winning Euro starts
Source: Agencies |
September 17, 2010, Friday
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REAL Madrid and AC Milan began their Champions League campaigns with 2-0 victories on Wednesday, while English rivals Chelsea and Arsenal opened with big-scoring wins.
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho presided over the nine-time champion's triumph against Ajax in the same Santiago Bernabeu stadium where he won last season's final with Inter Milan.
"We pressed a lot and we didn't let Ajax play how they like to play," Mourinho said. "My forwards just weren't sharp in front of goal."
Milan, Real's biggest rival in Group G, beat Auxerre after two goals from new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Cesc Fabregas and Carlos Vela each scored twice in Arsenal's 6-0 rout of Portuguese side Braga, while Nicolas Anelka's double helped Chelsea surge to a 4-1 victory over newcomer Zilina. Bayern Munich, beaten by Inter in the final in May, defeated AS Roma 2-0 in Group E.
In the Spanish capital, Real went ahead in the 31st minute when midfielder Xabi Alonso's corner was deflected in by Ajax defender Vurnon Anita.
The second goal took until the 73rd to arrive, with striker Gonzalo Higuain well placed at the far post to score from Mesut Oezil's cross.
"It looked like boys against men tonight," Ajax coach Martin Jol said. "They clearly dominated the game."
In the other group match, Ibrahimovic broke the deadlock in the 66th after linking up with Kevin-Prince Boateng and Ronaldinho.
The Sweden striker's second came three minutes later, completing a slick counterattacking move that began with Robinho carrying the ball from defense before Ronaldinho's deft pass reached Ibrahimovic.
"Ibra had a good game tonight," Milan coach Massimo Allegri said. "He is a very important player for us - for his technique and the way he leads the attack."
Chelsea maintained its superb start to the season with four wins in the Premier League. It won emphatically in Group F despite the absence of suspended striker Didier Drogba.
The visitors raced into a 3-0 lead inside 30 minutes against tournament newcomer Zilina. Anelka's cross was turned in by Michael Essien before the French striker hit two goals himself.
Soon after, Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech almost gifted the home side an equalizer, fumbling Robert Jez's freekick before recovering to stop the ball going into the net. Daniel Sturridge hit Chelsea's fourth in the 48th after latching onto Yossi Benayoun's through ball.
Zilina's consolation goal came in the 55th when an unmarked Tomas Oravec pounced on the loose ball from Branislav Ivanovic's deflection after Cech had failed to hold on to a cross.
In the other Group F match, defender Cesar Azpilicueta scored a late own-goal to give Spartak Moscow a 1-0 win at Marseille, which wasted several scoring chances.
It was a closer match in the other Group H encounter, with Shakhtar Donetsk captain Dario Srna's second-half freekick giving the Ukrainian champion a 1-0 victory over Partizan Belgrade.
In Group E, Bayern was lacking the creative influences of the injured Arjen Robben and suspended Franck Ribery. Thomas Mueller finally broke through by volleying into the far left corner after connecting with Daniel van Buyten's header.
Miroslav Klose added another five minutes later by diverting Holger Badstuber's freekick into the net.
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