Real Madrid opens with win over Atletico
Sunday, August 26, 2007

Wesley Sneijder scored in the 79th minute as defending Spanish La Liga champion Real Madrid bounced back from an early goal by Atletico Madrid to win its season opener Saturday, 2-1.

Although Real Madrid fell behind on Sergio Aguero's strike less than a minute into the match, Raul equalized in the 14th minute.

"We are very happy to have achieved this important victory. They made it very difficult for us, but we knew how to overcome adversity," Raul said. "This is what we have to do, continue down this path, continue being positive and optimistic. It's the same mentality as other games, but things turned out well for us."

Aguero put Atletico ahead less than a minute into the match by heading in a corner from Mariano Pernia.

But in the 14th minute, Raul tied the match for Real Madrid with a header off a cross from Sergio Ramos.

Real Madrid was the better offensive side in the fast-paced game, but didn't find the winner until late when Sneijder's shot deflected off a defender and found the back of the net.

Real Madrid ended Barcelona's two-year run as league champions last season by winning the title on a tiebreaker. Now Real Madrid is trying to win back-to- back for the first time since it won the last of five straight in 1989-90.

"Working hard and thinking about football is the way to win another League (title)," Real Madrid's Fabio Cannavaro said.

In Saturday's other games, Sevilla scored four second-half goals in a 4-1 win over Getafe, and Real Murcia edged Real Zaragoza 2-1.

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