Spanish Football | Soccer

SPANISH FOOTBALL officially kicked off tonight with three matches of the SPANISH LEAGUE - LA LIGA - season 2010 - 2011. Many of us were going through Football "cold turkey" & welcome this start to ease the nerves. Three matches that were not disappointing & sets it further up nicely for the remaining ROUND 1 games tomorrow & Monday.

Newly promoted HERCULES de Alicante hosted ATHLETIC DE BILBAO in the first match to go down 0-1 via a header from Spanish International FERNANDO LLORENTE of Bilbao. A rough & tumble affair with 9 yellow cards & 1 red card that looked more like a lower division clash than an "elite catagory" game.

MALAGA hosted VALENCIA CF to go down 1-3. The visitors go into this season having lost Silva, David Villa, Marchena & Alexis, but started well via newly signed from Mallorca player ADURIZ who scored first in the 8th min. After this initial early shock the home team reacted in the 43rd min with a goal by local player FERNANDEZ to equalize

Then in the 2ºhalf JOAQUIN ( above) scored twice for Valencia - in the 70th min & 74th min via a penalty - the seal things up & give his team the 3º points.

Newly promoted LEVANTE played visiting team SEVILLA FC & lost 1- 4. The visitors needed this victory to ease the pain & shock of being eliminated by Portuguese Club Braga from the Champions League. Plus they needed to win tonight to build confidence for this season & reinforced their questioned Coach Alvarez.

The home team started well early via SUAREZ when in the 9th min he transformed a penalty. But 2º mins later KONKO equalized & Sevilla FC began slowly to regain control of the match. Sevilla forward ALVARO NEGREDO then transformed a penalty in the 27th min to put his team ahead & later KONKO again scored in the 62nd min for Sevilla´s third & his second. But it was´nt over as RENATO scored late in the 87th min to give a valuable victory to the visitors.