MADRID, 30 August 2005 — New signing Robinho sparked Real Madrid to a 2-1 victory at Cadiz with an electrifying debut in his side’s opening league game of the season on Sunday.
The 21-year-old Brazilian, who arrived in Madrid on Friday, came on at 1-1 midway through the second half and helped fashion a wonderful winner for Raul with dazzling skill on the edge of the area.
Last season’s runners-up Real had taken the lead when Ronaldo squeezed a low shot inside the post in the fifth minute, but Cadiz got a deserved equalizer midway through the second half with a Matias Pavoni volley.
Real, who looked short of ideas until Robinho came on, grabbed victory five minutes from time when Raul poked home into the empty net after the former Santos player and Ronaldo had combined brilliantly to carve open the Cadiz defense.
Champions Barcelona failed to get their title defense off to a winning start on Saturday when they were held to a 0-0 draw at promoted Alaves after an inspired performance by their former goalkeeper Roberto Bonano.
Unlike Cadiz, Celta Vigo celebrated their return to the Primera Liga with a 2-0 win at home to Malaga on Sunday.
Argentine midfielder Gustavo Lopez sent a left-foot rocket into the roof of the net after a quickly taken free kick in the 10th minute.
Former Malaga striker Fernando Baiano added the second two minutes into the second half when he finished off a sharp counter-attack with a shot from a tight angle.
There was an upset in Pamplona where Osasuna snatched a 2-1 win over Champions League side Villarreal thanks to a double from Argentine striker Bernardo Romeo while Bernd Schuster’s Getafe claimed a 2-0 win at Espanyol. Athletic Bilbao lead the fledgling table thanks to their comprehensive 3-0 win at home to Basque rivals Real Sociedad on Saturday.
Cadiz made a confident start on their return to the top flight, taking the game to Real in the opening exchanges, but they found themselves a goal down after five minutes when the visitors hit them on the break.
Zinedine Zidane angled a pass into Ronaldo lurking on the edge of the area, and the Brazilian made room for himself before firing low into the corner past Armando.
It was Cadiz who created more danger for the rest of the half, midfielder Enrique catching Real keeper Casillas off guard with a venomous free kick and a well struck half-volley, and striker Oli going close with a glancing header. The Andalucians finally got their reward when Argentine striker Pavoni hooked a volley past Casillas after Oli had sent a header into the area following a corner in the 63rd minute.
Real coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo, who had left the unsettled Michael Owen out of the squad, responded by sending on Robinho in place of defensive midfielder Thomas Gravesen.
The Brazilian announced his arrival with a neat flick over an opponent’s head with his very first touch of the ball and proceeded to revolutionize the Real attack with his pace and dazzling close control before playing a vital part in his side’s winner. Controlling a lofted pass from David Beckham with his head, he swivelled across the edge of the area, left the ball to Ronaldo who burst into the box and unselfishly slipped a pass to Raul to poke home into the empty net.
Impressive Lyon Tame Auxerre 2-0 to Go Clear
In Paris, Champions Olympique Lyon produced an impressive performance to beat AJ Auxerre 2-0 on Sunday and go three points clear at the top of Ligue 1.
Lyon have set themselves the goal of becoming the first French club to clinch five titles in a row and again looked in a class of their own at Auxerre, who suffered the biggest defeat in their history when they lost 7-0 at Racing Lens last week.
Midfielder Mahamadou Diarra headed home a free kick by playmaker Juninho to put Lyon in front in the sixth minute.
The hosts hit the woodwork twice through Jeremy Berthod and Benoit Cheyrou before the half-hour, before Juninho made it 2-0 a few seconds before the interval.
Lyon have 13 points from five games. Lens who managed a 0-0 draw at Monaco are second on 10 points, level with Paris St Germain and Girondins Bordeaux.
