Beckham Scores 100th Top Flight Goal
Madrid, who have scored 17 in their last five outings if you count their 4-2 Champions League victory over Marseille in midweek, are tucked in behind Deportivo La Coruna in second spot in the Spanish league and are looking a class act at this early stage of the season.
A rare goal from French defender Jonathan Zebina three minutes from time salvaged a point for Roma in a 2-2 draw away to Italian champions Juventus at the Delle Alpi stadium on Sunday.
Zebina struck with a low drive to earn a point for Roma, who along with Juventus saw their 100 percent record end in Turin, AFP reported.
And in Germany, SV Hamburg and Kaiserslautern eased the pressure on their respective managers Kurt Jara and Erik Gerets with vital wins in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Beckham scored 84 goals during his 10-year professional career at English Premiership champions Manchester United, so far has another 13 to his name from his 62 appearances for England, and now has three for Real Madrid -- two in the league and one in the Spanish Supercup.
The England captain's century came up in typical fashion, bending the ball into the net from the edge of the area after Roberto Carlos had tapped a free kick across for Luis Figo, who in turn laid it on for the England captain to let rip from 25 meters.
The goal was appreciated by not just his teammates.
Malaga estimated on Sunday that there were 1,500 English fans crammed into their snug 25,000-seater stadium, which was filled to capacity in contrast to their normal attendance of around 15,000.
To cash in on their star attraction, Malaga hiked up the prices of their tickets with some costing as much as 200 euros.
"With so many English living or visiting the Costa Del Sol, we wanted to make the most of the opportunity presented to us," a Malaga club official admitted to reporters on Sunday.
Nine-times European champions Real got in front early against Malaga thanks to a 13th minute goal from Ronaldo, the Brazilian tapping the ball in after a David Beckham corner had glanced off the head of Zinedine Zidane.
Beckham then got his second league goal for Real after 72 minutes, and the 100th top flight strike of his career, with a curling shot from the edge of the area which beat the outstretched arms of Malaga goalkeeper Francesc Arnau. Five minutes later, Real Madrid cast-off Edgar Patricio got a modicum of revenge over his former club by by closing the deficit, only for Jose Maria 'Guti' Gutierrez to put the game beyond doubt by finishing off a counter-attack four minutes from the whistle.
In Italy, Zebina struck with a low drive to earn a point for Roma, who along with Juventus saw their 100 percent record end in Turin.
Two first-half goals from substitute Marco Di Vaio either side of Christian Chivu's equaliser had given the home side a 2-1 lead at half-time.
Roma almost nicked victory at the death only for captain Francesco Totti to fire straight at Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon after breaking the offside trap.
Zebina said Roma produced the kind of performance that saw them win the title in 2001. "We played with the spirit of two years ago," said the 25-year-old Frenchman. "Tonight we took a giant step forward and played with the right mentality. We showed great character and would have come away with a win had Totti scored at the end."
Ten-man Hamburg came from behind to record a 2-1 win over Hansa Rostock at the AOL-Arena, while Kaiserslautern had a more comfortable time cruising to a 3-1 triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt at the Waldstadion.
Belgian coach Gerets had been issued a pre-match ultimatum to net all three points or face the axe and his Kaiserslautern charges responded with a brace from Marian Hristov and a strike from German international Miroslav Klose sealing a 3-1 win.
"As long as I know that the players are with me I will stay. I had that feeling today," said Gerets, whose team moved out of the relegation zone.
Ludovic Giuly's winner shot Monaco to the top of the French football league on Sunday following their 2-1 victory at Montpellier in a Riviera derby.
Monaco, who now have 16 points, made the most of Marseille's 1-0 slip-up at Nantes and the Velodrome stadium club slipped off the top to second place a point behind with Nice third a further point back.