Chelsea fail to break down Spurs; SWP makes a winning return to City; Rangers crush Celtic at Parkhead; Numancia stun Barca with a defeat; Valiani’s stunner downs AC Milan

Chelsea 1 – Tottenham 1 (Premier League, August 31, 2008) (Longer highlights here.) The London derby, played under the greys wet skies befitting an English summer, got off to a super start when Gomes showed his massive reach to tip over Frank Lampard’s chip after just 4 minutes. Spurs then took a foothold in the game, only for Chelsea to turn the screw when Anelka fired over, Essien struck the bar and eventually scoring when Belletti turned home a corner kick. But on the stroke of half-time Spurs drew level, the ball broke to Darren Bent and the forward proved he can score in the league as well as pre-season. The second half was a far more stale affair. The best chance fell to Kalou but the striker dragged his shot wide. The point was a welcome result for Spurs, who finally get on the scoreboard this season.

Aston Villa 0 – Liverpool 0 (Premier League, August 31, 2008) (Longer highlights here.) In a goalless and generally uninteresting first half, John Carew had a great chance to score from Young’s cutback but Reina was up to the task. (First half highlights here.) After the break it was Liverpool’s chance to be frustrated in front of goal when Alonso’s shot was deflected over. Villa could have snatched the points at the end but Martin Laursen’s header was just off target. (Second half highlights here.)

Sunderland 0 – Manchester City 3 (Premier League, August 31, 2008) Stephen Ireland gave City the lead right on half time, latching on to Michael Johnson’s deflected cross and sliding the ball past Craig Gordon, the Sunderland goalkeeper. (First half highlights here.) But it was Shaun Wright-Phillips who stole the show after the break, making it 2-0 by tapping home Jo’s pin-point cross at the back post before collecting Michael Ball’s long-range pass to flick the ball beyond Gordon and inside the far post. (Second half highlights here.)

***

Celtic 2 – Rangers 4 (SPL, August 31, 2008) Rangers took a stunning lead at Parkhead, Daniel Cousin burst down the right hand side, his pace leaving Wilson for dead, and finishing with a cute finish past Boruc from a tight angle. But Celtic were level within two minutes, poor Rangers defending failed to clear a simple cross and Georgios Samaras was on hand to fire in the equaliser. In the second half Rangers retook the lead in the most provocative fashion possible, former Celtic striker Kenny Miller scored an excellent back post volley to send the crowd wild. Rangers were in dreamland 10 minutes later, Pedro Mendes added a lovely third with a drive from distance. Each side then independently lost a player, Cousin and Hesselink both getting their marching order, but it failed to slow down Rangers as Miller added a fourth after Boruc dropped a clanger by letting the ball slip through his hands. Nakamura’s free-kick pulled a goal back for Celtic at the death, but Rangers move three points clear of their rivals at the top.

***

Deportivo La Coruna 2 – Real Madrid 1 (La Liga, August 31, 2008) Depor moved ahead against Real Madrid when Mista scored from a corner. (First half highlights here.) Immediately after the restart Ruud van Nistelrooy found an equaliser for Real. But Depor, who have an outstanding record at home against Madrid, moved ahead for the second time when Lopo rammed home a header.

Numancia 1 – Barcelona 0 (La Liga, August 31, 2008) New-comers Numancia shocked Barcelona by moving ahead in the 12th minute, poor defending left Mario free at the back post and the forward was able to pick his spot to score. Eto’o saw his shot clip the top of the bar just a few minutes later. In the dying seconds Messi crashed a free-kick off the post.

Osasuna 1 – Villarreal 1 (La Liga, August 31, 2008) Marcos Senna scored a stunning free-kick which ripped into the top corner to give Villarreal the lead. But Nekounam levelled the score from the penalty spot.

Atletico Madrid 4 – Malaga 0 (La Liga, August 31, 2008) Sergio Aguero got Atletico up and running with a 26th minute effort and Diego Forlan doubled their lead 12 minutes later. Forlan then grabbed his second of the game from the penalty spot a minute before half-time. Florent Sinama-Pongolle completed the scoring with a fourth nine minutes from time.

Racing Santander 1 – Sevilla 1 (La Liga, August 31, 2008) Luis Fabiano put the visitors ahead on 71 minutes but Juan Juanjo grabbed an equaliser five minutes later, having only stepped off the bench 60 seconds earlier.

Athletic Bilbao 1 – Almeria 3 (La Liga, August 31, 2008) Hernan Pellerano (7), Alvaro Negrado (33) and Juan Manuel Ortiz (50) got the goals for Gonzalo Arconada’s side.

Sporting Gijon 1 – Getafe 2 (La Liga, August 31, 2008) Juan Albin gave the Getafe a 14th minute lead, only to see Gimenez Diego Castro level matters 10 minutes before the break. However, Javier Casquero struck the winner four minutes from time.

***

Fiorentina 1 – Juventus 1 (Serie A, August 31, 2008) Pavel Nedved made a decisive run into the box to meet Grygera’s cross and give Juve the lead over Fiorentina at the break. The Viola had Felipe Melo sent off towards the end but deep into injury time Fiorentina found an equaliser through Alberto Gilardino.

AC Milan 1 – Bologna 2 (Serie A, August 31, 2008) (Longer highlights here.) AC Milan’s season started badly, falling behind to Bologna at the San Siro when their defence failed to halt an attack and Marco Di Vaio swept the ball home. Pipo Inzaghi was guilty of a poor miss for Milan, but they equalised minutes before the break, Ronaldinho’s cross was headed home by Ambrosini. In the second half two of Milan’s new superstars linked up, Ronaldinho teed up Shevchenko but the striker showed his Chelsea form to miss horribly. And after riding their luck Bologna’s Francesco Valiani scored an absolute rip-snorter, crashing a drive into the top corner from 25 yards out.

Roma 1 – Napoli 1 (Serie A, August 31, 2008) Roma took the lead when Aquilani got on the end of De Rossi’s through ball to toe-poke the opener. After the break matters worsened for Napoli as Santacroce was sent off. But the southerners failed to take the hint, and drew level when Hamsik put away an overhead volley after the ball rebounded off the bar.

Torino 3 – Lecce 0 (Serie A, August 31, 2008) Torino took a two goal lead into half-time, Rosina scored from the spot and Zanetti tucked home the second. Roland Bianchi headed the third in the second half.

Atalanta 1 – Siena 0 (Serie A, August 31, 2008) Padoin’s 15th minute header gave Atalanta the lead over Seina.

Catania 1 – Genoa 0 (Serie A, August 31, 2008) Mascara’s goal on the hour mark separated the sides.

Cagliari 1 – Lazio 4 (Serie A, August 31, 2008) Lazio were the big winners on day one, despite falling behind to Larrivey after 30 minutes. But Lazio produced a spirited second half, drawing level through a penalty from Zarate before Zarate added a second with a tidy finish. Foggia added the third and Pandev got the fourth to complete the rout.

***

Bayern Munich 4 – Hertha Berlin 1 (Bundesliga, August 31, 2008) (Longer highlights here.) Bayern Munich moved ahead against Hertha in the 12th minute, Luca Toni producing a marvelous turn before wrong-footing the keeping with his shot. Philip Lahm scored Bayern’s second after the break, finishing a lovely one-two with a right-foot curled finish. Bastian Schweinsteiger netted the third from the spot before Miroslav Klose added the fourth from the spot too. Pantelic pulled a goal back for Hertha.

Stuttgart 2 – Hannover 0 (Bundesliga, August 31, 2008) Stuttgart went ahead on 19 minutes when Mario Gomez coolly slotted home from six-yards out. With five minutes to go before the break Pavel Pardo sealed the points from the penalty spot.

***

Lille 2 – Bordeaux 1 (Ligue 1, August 31, 2008) Fernando Cavenaghi scored a stunner to break the deadlock for Bordeaux, smacking a half volley from 30 yards out which rocketed into the net. But just three minutes later Bastos equalised, and Obraniak bagged the winner for Lille in the second half.

St Etienne 0 – Lyon 1 (Ligue 1, August 31, 2008) Lyon joined Marseille at the top of the French first division, Karim Benzema struck in the 55th minute with a low right-footed curving shot that eluded the diving Jody Viviani to slip in by the far post.

Nancy 2 – Le Havre 1 (Ligue 1, August 30, 2008) Nancy moved ahead in the 10th minute, Marc-Antoine Fortune stole the ball and unleashed a powerful shot that brushed the post. Amadou Alassane brought Nancy 10 minutes later, and the home side snatched victory when Andre Luiz scored with 4 minutes remaining.

Grenoble 1 – Monaco 0 (Ligue 1, August 30, 2008) Moreira’s ugly back post volley keeps Grenoble near the top of the table.

Nice 2 – Valenciennes 0 (Ligue 1, August 30, 2008)

***

Vitoria Setubal 1 – Amadora 0 (Superliga, August 31, 2008) Mateus’ goal in the second minute was enough for the hosts.

Nacional 2 – Associacao Naval 1 (Superliga, August 31, 2008)

Trofense 1 – Leixoes 2 (Superliga, August 31, 2008)

***

Volendam 2 – Heerenveen 3 (Eredivisie, August 31, 2008) Christian Grindheim gave Heerenveen the lead just before half-time and, while Jack Tuyp levelled after 65 minutes, parity only lasted three minutes as Tarik Elyounoussi put them back in front. Danijel Pranjic then made it 3-1 with three minutes to spare and, while Kuyp added his second in the last minute, Volendam were unable to find another equaliser.

Sparta Rotterdam 2 – Ado Den Haag 5 (Eredivisie, August 31, 2008) Joshua John gave Sparta the lead after four minutes, but Den Haag hit back as Csaba Horvath equalised 12 minutes later and then Yuri Cornelisse put the visitors in front from the penalty spot. Knopper put Den Haag 3-1 up after 34 minutes, but Sparta they clawed their way back into the game when Rankovic was given a straight red 58 minutes in and Yuri Rose pulled one back two minutes later. Knopper made it 4-2 after 69 minutes before Fabio Caracciolo rounded things off a minute from time.

***

Amkar Perm 1 – Rubin Kazan 2 (Premier Liga, August 31, 2008) Kushev put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot, but Rubin turned the game around with goals from Bukharov and Noboa.

Dynamo Moscow 1 – FC Moscow 1 (Premier Liga, August 31, 2008) The game exploded into life in the final minutes, Kombarov put Dynamo ahead in the 88th minute but Rebko hit a 90th minute equaliser.

Spartak Moscow 2 – Spartak Nalchik 1 (Premier Liga, August 31, 2008) Fathi put Spartak ahead on the hour mark. In the 90th minute Nalchik looked to have got an equaliser when Gogua cashed home a thunderous free-kick, but the hosts found a winner deep into injury time from Prudnikov.

***

Brondby 1 – FC Copenhagen 0 (SAS Ligaen, August 31, 2008) Brondby won the big match in Denmark thanks to Kristiansen’s first half goal.

***

Shakhtar Donetsk 2 – Metallurg 2 (Vyscha Liga, August 31, 2008)

***

Red Star Belgrade 0 – Javor Ivanjica 2 (Serbia Superliga, August 31, 2008)

OFK Belgrade 0 – Partizan Belgrade 3 (Serbia Superliga, August 31, 2008)

***

Ried 4 – Sturm Graz 1 (T-Mobile Bundesliga, August 31, 2008)

Austria Vienna 2 – Mattersburg 1 (T-Mobile Bundesliga, August 31, 2008)

SV Pasching 1 – SV Salzburg 0 (T-Mobile Bundesliga, August 31, 2008)

LASK Linz 2 – Rapid Vienna 5 (T-Mobile Bundesliga, August 30, 2008)

***

Bnei Sachnin 0 – Beitar Jerusalem 0 (Ligat ha’Al, August 31, 2008)

***

Houston Dynamo 2 – Chicago Fire 1 (MLS, August 31, 2008) Houston fell behind in the fifth minute on Brian McBride’s first goal since joining Chicago, but Dwayne De Rosario and Brian Mullan turned the game around for the hosts.

New England Revolution 2 – LA Galaxy 2 (MLS, August 30, 2008)

***

Queensland Roar 2 – Central Coast Mariners 4 (A-League, August 31, 2008) Mark Bosnich returned to professional football with a debut win for the Mariners, despite giving away a penalty in the second half.

Sydney FC 5 – Perth Glory 2 (A-League, August 31, 2008) The headlined grabbing news from this game is that Glory defender Dino Djulbic faces a possible career-ending 18-month ban after being sent off for allegedly spitting at referee Peter Green during his team’s loss to Sydney.

***

Huracan 0 – Boca Juniors 3 (Argentinean Apertura, August 31, 2008)

Independiente 1 – Gimnasia La Plata 1 (Argentinean Apertura, August 31, 2008)

Estudiantes 2 – Arsenal Sarandi 0 (Argentinean Apertura, August 30, 2008)

***

Flamengo 2 – Fluminense 2 (Campeonato Brasileiro, August 31, 2008)

Sport Recife 1 – Internacional 0 (Campeonato Brasileiro, August 31, 2008)

Cruzeiro 1 – Coritiba 1 (Campeonato Brasileiro, August 31, 2008)

Portuguesa 1 – Atletico Mineiro 1 (Campeonato Brasileiro, August 31, 2008)

Atletico Paranaense 1 – Palmeiras 2 (Campeonato Brasileiro, August 31, 2008)

Gremio 2 – Vasco da Gama 1 (Campeonato Brasileiro, August 31, 2008)