Soccer: Champions Valencia kick off in style

Valencia opened the defence of their Spanish title with an impressive 2-0 win at Real Mallorca.

Rafael Benitez's side, who suffered a disappointing 4-0 aggregate defeat by Deportivo Coruna in the Spanish Super Cup, bounced back with goals from Gonzalo de los Santos and Ruben Baraja.

Depor were brought back down to earth thanks to a comprehensive 4-2 home defeat by a sparkling Real Betis, inspired by fine performances from new signings Marcos Assuncao and Alfonso.

Barcelona, Alfonso's old club, were unfortunate to be held to a 2-2 draw at the Nou Camp by a battling Atletico Madrid, who have returned to the top flight after two seasons in the second division.

Fine individual performances in a goal-packed opening round came from Malaga's Kizito Musampa and Real Sociedad's Turkish international, Nihat Kahveci.

Musampa scored a hat-trick to help his side come from two goals behind to claim a 3-2 win over newly promoted Recreativo Huelva, and Kahveci masterminded a 4-2 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Basque derby.

* * * Champions Ajax Amsterdam went top of the Dutch first division yesterday after beating bottom side Groningen 3-1, with Rafael van der Vaart scoring twice.

Ajax pipped RKC Waalwijk, who beat Twente Enschede 3-2 for the top spot on goal difference.

Both sides have the maximum nine points from three matches.

Ajax had few problems at Groningen and the game was already as good as over by halftime after van der Vaart hit the net in the 13th and 40th minutes following mistakes by Groningen in midfield.

Andy van der Meyde made it 3-0 in the 48th minute with a header from a Victor Sikora cross.

Groningen scored their consolation goal 15 minutes from the end. They are the only team in the Dutch league without points.

* * *

Early season pace-setters Nice stayed top of the French first division with a deserved 1-1 draw at Paris St Germain.

Brazilian Everson volleyed home a cross by former PSG player Kaba Diawara to open the scoring for newly promoted Nice on the hour.

But Argentine Martin Cardetti saved the Parisians from their first defeat of the season with a 74th-minute header.

Nice coach Gernot Rohr, though, was looking forward to his team dropping out of the headlines.

"I hope we will lose top spot soon. It will ease some of the pressure," said the German-born former Bordeaux player and coach.

"When you lead at the Parc des Princes, you start dreaming of victory and this took us back to earth.

"But I'm glad to take one point off a good PSG team, who put us under intense pressure towards the end."

Champions Olympique Lyon suffered their first defeat since winning the title, losing 2-1 to Sochaux, whose goals were scored by substitute Sylvain Monsoreau and striker Mickael Pagis.

Lyon had to be content with a late consolation, an own-goal by Sochaux Yugoslav defender Nis Saveljic.

With 10 points from five games, Nice retained a one-point lead over AJ Auxerre, PSG and RC Lens, who beat Monaco 1-0.

* * *

English champions Arsenal had captain Patrick Vieira sent off but fought back to earn a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in a pulsating London derby at Stamford Bridge.

Gianfranco Zola gave Chelsea a 34th-minute lead with a 40m free kick that bamboozled Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman, before Vieira picked up the eighth red card of his Arsenal career for a second booking in the 50th minute.

But substitute Kolo Toure stooped to head home on the line in the 59th minute after Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini had parried a shot from Sylvain Wiltord.

The draw denied Chelsea revenge for last season's FA Cup final defeat by the double winners, and maintained Arsenal's unbeaten run in the league since December.

It also left the Gunners second on the table with eight points, two behind North London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who called on referee Andy D'Urso to review his red card for Vieira's challenge on Jesper Gronkjaer, paid tribute to his side's gutsy performance.

"At 1-0 down, 40 minutes to go, with 10 men and on an away ground, you need great strength and we have shown that again," the Frenchman said.

"And on a few occasions we had a chance to score a second goal."

Bolton Wanderers climbed off the bottom of the premier league table with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa.

Michael Ricketts converted a penalty in the second half.

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Claudio Caniggia scored a hat-trick as Rangers thrashed Dunfermline 6-0 in the Scottish premier league, but champions Celtic still lead the table after a 2-0 win over Livingston.

Mikel Arteta, Fernando Ricksen and captain Barry Ferguson scored Rangers' other goals as they enjoyed their biggest league win of the season at Dunfermline's East End Park Stadium.

Celtic maintained a two-point lead over their city rivals thanks to first-half goals from Swedish striker Henrik Larsson and French defender Bobo Balde.

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill was happy with his side's performance in their first match since losing on away goals to Swiss team FC Basel in the Champions League final qualifying round.

Hearts remained third in the table with nine points after a 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock, who stayed fourth.

- AGENCIES