European round-up - Valencia score three and send out strong message to Liverpool

SPANISH champions Valencia, who face Liverpool in the Champions League this week maintained their perfect start to the season with a 3-0 win over Recreativo Huelva, while title rivals Barcelona and Deportivo Coruna notched their first victories of the campaign.

Real Madrid’s hopes of a second straight league win were dashed, though, as their match at Real Betis was called off a minute before half time because of repeated floodlight failures, with Betis leading 1-0 thanks to Capi's long-range strike.

Valencia clinched a comfortable win over first division new boys Recreativo thanks to an early goal from Vicente and two late John Carew strikes.

Barcelona put their King's Cup defeat to third division Novelda behind them with an equally straightforward success at Athletic Bilbao with Luis Enrique and Javier Saviola getting the goals in the first half.

Deportivo had far more trouble at Osasuna, with a second-half double from Roy Makaay clinching a 2-1 win after Manuel Vidrio had given the home side a deserved lead.

Real Madrid were on course for their first defeat in a game that kicked off around 20 minutes late due to the first floodlight failure of the night. Betis were well worth their lead, which came when Capi latched on to a weak clearance from Fernando Hierro and smacked a shot past Iker Casillas after 35 minutes. The game will now have to be replayed at a later date.

Yugoslav forward Darko Kovacevic struck twice to give Real Sociedad a 3-1 victory at Espanyol yesterday and take the Basque side into a share of the lead in the Spanish first division.

Arsenal’s Champions League opponents Borrusia Dortmund were lucky to secure a draw against arch rivals Schalke 04 in their Buundesliga meeting. In what was a tough affair Victor Agalli put Schalke ahead in the 69th minute but Dormund’s response was instant as Henrique Ewerthon equalised within 60 seconds.

Seven players were booked in what was a dour match.

Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack was a doubtful starter for his side's opening Champions League group G match at home against Deportivo Coruna on Wednesday because of a foot injury sustained in Saturday's 2-1 Bundesliga win at Nuremberg, in which he scored both his side's goals.

Brazilian midfielder Marcelinho struck the winner with a volley from just outside the area in the 52nd minute, giving Hertha their first victory of the season over Arminia Bielefeld while Argentine striker Bernardo Romeo scored twice as Kaiserslautern defeated Hamburg 2-0 yesterday. Elsewhere VFL Bochum lost to Hansa Rostock, following Togo striker Bachirou Salou’s only goal of the game. Meanwhile,Werder Bremen also won by a single goal following a terrible mistake by Energie Cottbus keeper Tomislav Piplica. TSV 1860 Munich and VFL Wolfsburg finished 2-2 in Saturday’s other game.

Italian champions Juventus started the new Serie A season in style with a 3-0 win over Atalanta. In front of 40,000 fans, Alessandro Del Pierro was in stunning form, netting a penalty after 27 minutes, followed by goal from open play six minutes later. Salvatore Fresi added a third on full time.

But their were shocks aplenty in Rome. Chievo defeated Lazio 3-2 yesterday after the sides were level twice. Diego Simeone opened the Lazio account on five minutes and a rout looked on but then Lorenzo D'Anna had an equaliser on 14 mintues. German international Oliver Bierhoff put them a goal ahead on 50 minutes before Bernardo Corradi levelled for Lazio on 64. Yet Chievo, the suprise packets of last season stole their winner on 70 minutes through, Ivano Della Morte.

Earlier in the weekend Bologna’s injury-time winner inflicted an early wound on Fabio Capello's Roma. Gabriel Batistuta put Roma ahead a minute before the break with a penalty after Cafu had been brought down by Bologna defender Michele Paramatti.

Batistuta’s compatriot Cruz pulled the home side level with a delightful glancing header from a Giuseppe Signori free kick in the 59th minute. Bologna grabbed a dramatic injury-time goal with Cruz bravely stooping to head home a cross from substitute Cristian Zaccardo.

Inter, who have not won a Serie A title since 1989 after being pipped to the 'scudetto' on the final day of last season defeated Torino, 1-0. Christian Vieri, with a fine near-post header from a Stephane Dalmat cross put Inter into a lead which they never relinquished.

AC Milan made a confident start to the season at Modena, playing their first Serie A match since 1964. Inzaghi opened the scoring with a clinical finish from a Rui Costa set-up in the 18th minute and Croat defender Dario Simic doubled the advantage nine minutes after the break. Inzaghi added his second in the final minutes.

PSV Eindhoven, Ajax and Feyenoord warmed up for next week’s Champions League matches with easy wins in the Dutch domestic league on Saturday.

PSV Eindhoven beat RKC Waalwijk 4-0 to stay top, Ajax remained second with a 2-0 victory over Zwolle and Feyenoord are third after winning 5-1 at Twente Enschede.