Two free-kicks from Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid to a thrashing 5-2 victory at Swiss side FC Zurich in their Champions League group stage opener on Tuesday. The Portuguese wizard, who joined Real from Manchester United for a world record fee of 94 million euros, opened the scoring after 27 minutes. His fierce shot from a free kick found the roof of the net to put the visitors in front. Skipper Raul doubled Real's advantage on 34 minutes when he nipped in between two defenders to divert Gonzalo Higuain's cross into the net from close range. Real added the third just before the break, this time Raul feeding Higuain to skip past a defender and drill a low shot into the bottom corner. Real eased off a bit in the second half as Zurich scored two quick-fire goals and looked capable of staging a remarkable comeback. Xavier Margairaz pulled one back when he converted a 65th-minute penalty after Real keeper Iker Casillas brought down Alexandre Alphonse. Midfielder Silvan Aegerter further narrowed the gap just one minute later when he rose above Cristiano Ronaldo at the near post to head home an inswinging corner from the left.
Inzaghi impresses Two late goals ensured Real would claim all three points in their opening Group C game. Zurich keeper Johnny Leoni fumbled another Ronaldo free kick into his own net one minute from time before a stoppage-time goal from substitute Guti completed the rout. Super Pippo Filippo Inzaghi scored two poacher's goals to lead AC Milan to a 2-1 victory away to Marseille in the other group game. The veteran striker broke the deadlock after 28 minutes when he was found unmarked by Clarence Seedorf's cross at the far post to poke home. Television replays suggested that he was in an offside position when he received the Dutchman's cross from the left. Argentinean full-back Gabriel Heinze, who joined Marseille from Real in the close season, leveled the score four minutes after the restart when he headed a cross from the right through the legs of Milan keeper Marco Storari. Inzaghi gave Milan all three points on 74 minutes when he cut ahead of his marker to convert another cross from Seedorf. Zurich-Real match goals
