EUROPEAN WRAP
By Julius Ross
The European football season has been spurred into life this weekend, with the commencement of the Italian Serie A, the Spanish Primera Liga and the Dutch Eredivisie adding to the intriguing action already taking place in the English, French, German and Scottish leagues.
Goal! Weekly’s Julius Ross checks out the pick of the bunch in this weekend’s European fixtures.
MOURIHNO DENIED WINNING START
Flamboyant Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho was denied a winning start with his new club, defending Serie A champions Inter Milan, as they stumbled at Sampdoria in their first match of the 2008/09 season.
The colourful and controversial former Chelsea boss saw his side draw 1-1 after midfielder Gennaro Delvecchio cancelled out Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s first half strike.
After taking over from sacked manager Roberto Mancini, Mourinho was forced to make a unorthodox change to his starting line-up due to an Inter injury crisis - Argentine midfielder Esteban Cambiasso slotting in at the centre of defence.
In the other Serie A match on Saturday, Antonio Di Natale hit a brace to help his side Udinese to a 3-1 victory over Palmero - Australia’s Marco Bresciano scoring the consolation goal for the visiting side, signaling a promising start to the 2008/09 campaign for the Socceroo midfielder.
THE SILVA VILLA SHOW
Valencia kicked off the new season of the Spanish Primera Liga in style on Saturday, with Euro 2008 stars David Villa and David Silva treating the Mestalla to an impressive opening game.
Valencia ran out easy 3-0 winners with Villa, Mata and Vicente wrapping up a convincing win, in which the two Euro hereos, Villa and Silva illustrated their world-class talent.
Luis Garcia’s goal handed Espanyol a 1-0 opening-day victory over visiting Valladolid.
Barcelona were expected to take all three on Sunday when they traveled to second division champions Numancia, whilst defending champions Real Madrid were looking for their fist victory at the Riazor since 1991 when they took on Deportivo la Coruna.
HOFFENHIEM FACES BUNDESLIGA REALITY
It was inevitable. Shock early season Bundesliga leaders – minnows 1899 Hoffenhiem – were eventually brought back down to earth on Saturday when they suffered a 5-2 loss away to Bayer Leverkusen.
Before kick-off, the runners up of the second division in Germany last season, were the only team in the league with a 100 per cent record, but they struggled to impose themselves on the match against Leverkusen, finally succumbing 5-2 despite fighting back to 2-1 and 3-2 after trailing 2-0.
Dropping to fifth place on the table with six points from a possible nine, Hoffenheim’s slip-up vacated top spot on the table.
In stepped title challengers Schalke 04 who took advantage of Hoffenhiem’s loss to take the number one spot on the league table, courtesy of a 1-0 win over local rivals Bochum.
Schalke leads the standings on goal difference - with seven points from three matches – whilst Hamburg and Borussia Dortmund sit equal on points.
Defending champions Bayern Munich are still searching for their first victory of the season, after drawing their first two matches – giving them just two points – and will be looking for their first league win of the season at home to Hertha Berlin on Sunday.
INVINCIBLE KILMARNOCK TOP OF EPL
With all eyes focused on Sunday’s Old Firm derby between Glasgow title rivals Celtic and Rangers, Kilmarnock has surprisingly shot to the top of the Scottish Premier League table.
Gavin Skelton opened the scoring for Kilmarnock, before Australian striker Danny Invincibile secured a 2-0 victory over Dundee United to send his side to the top of the SPL standings with 10 points from four games.
Celtic and Rangers, locked on seven points each, will be hot on the heals of ‘Killie’ when they vie for victory on Sunday – but if in the likely event of a draw between the fierce Glasgow rivals – Kilmarnock will stay top of the league for this weekend at least, thanks to an ‘Invincible’ performance.
PSV’S FIVE-STAR DISPLAY
Reigning Dutch Eredivisie champs PSV Eindhoven started their title-defence with a five-star performance against Utrecht on the opening day of the season in the Netherlands.
Ibrahim Afellay and Danny Koevermans hit a brace each for PSV, as they ran out 5-1 winners against injury-depleted Utrecht.
PSV bossed play and possession, and in a sweet three-minute spell before half-time, the champs were 3-0 up heading into the break.
PSV continued their domination in the second half, adding two more fine goals to their tally, but failed to claim a clean sheet as Rafael Uiterloo poked home in stoppage time to grab a consolation goal.
Last season’s runner-up, Ajax Amsterdam, suffered a shock 2-1 loss against Willem on the opening weekend of fixtures, as they failed to apply early pressure to their fierce league rivals, PSV.
MARSEILLE MAINTAIN UNBEATEN START
Watch out Lyon. You might just have a serious title contender this season. After winning the last seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles from 2002 to 2008, Lyon has had it easy in the French league. But Olympique Marseille’s impressive start to the season has seen them maintain their unbeaten start and they may prove a threat to Lyon’s hopes of eight titles in eight years.
Karim Ziani and Bakary Kone strikes were enough for a home victory over lowly Sochaux on Saturday, as Marseille soared to the top of the Ligue 1 standings.
Marseille is searching for their first league triumph since 1992, and both Marseille fans and neutrals will be hoping that this year’s French league will be slightly more competitive.
BLOODY HULL
After grabbing an historic opening day victory in the English Premier League and securing four points from their first two games, Hull City’s fairytale start to the season was smashed by Wigan in a woeful display of defensive football.
Hull’s non-existent defensive line allowed the Lactics to thoroughly tame the Tigers at the Kingston Communications Stadium, with Antonio Valencia, Emile Heskey, Amr Zaki – with a brace - and an own goal rounding out the 5-0 score-line as hapless Hull were taught a Premier League lesson.
West Brom picked up its first points of the new campaign after three matches in a 0-0 draw with Bolton in which goalkeeper’s Jussi Jaaskelainen and Scott Carson pulled off world-class saves at either end to ensure clean-sheets for their respective sides.
Arsenal were back to winning ways after their shock 1-0 loss at the hands of Fulham last weekend, when they thumped Newcastle United 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
A double from Dutchman Robin Van Persie and a third from Brazilian youngster Denilson silenced critics – who have signaled the Gunner’s over-elaborate football which rarely produces an end product as a hindrance to their Premier League title tilt.
Accumulating 20 shots on target last week against Fulham without a score, the rampaging Gunners made sure they hit the target this week, with 12 shots directed on Shay Given’s goal, as Arsene Wenger’s side returned to form.
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