La Liga: Ronaldo on target as Real edge thriller

[athletic]

Real Madrid's expensive team squeezed through their first competitive
test on Saturday when goals from Raul, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lassana
Diarra earned a 3-2 La Liga win over Deportivo Coruna.

Real started their opening match of the season briskly, with Brazilian
playmaker Kaka looking particularly dangerous, and some poor defending
from visiting Depor gifted them the lead in the 26th minute.

Kaka's pass should have been cleared but the ball fell to Karim
Benzema and Raul was on hand to tap in the rebound when the
Frenchman's shot came back off a post.

Riki was left unmarked four minutes later to head Juca's deep cross
past Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas before Raul was felled by Depor
keeper Daniel Aranzubia and Ronaldo stroked the resulting 35th-minute
penalty into the bottom left corner.

Depor stunned Real with a second equaliser immediately after the
restart. Mexican midfielder Jose Guardado picked out Juan Carlos
Valeron on the edge of the area and he drilled a superb shot low past
Casillas.

Diarra restored the home side's advantage on the hour when he rounded
Juca and struck a powerful shot into the far corner.
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