Lyon beat Real again as Milan, United and Arsenal win

Olympique Lyon beat Real Madrid 2-0 in their opening Champions League group match yesterday - a year to the day after inflicting a 3-0 defeat on the nine-time European champions in last season's opener.

Brazilian Fred put Lyon ahead after 11 minutes and Portuguese Tiago made it 2-0 in the 31st to seal the opening Group E victory for the French champions.

There were big victories for two former European champions with Steaua Bucharest, winners 20 years ago, marking their return to the competition after a decade's absence in style, beating Dynamo Kiev 4-1 in the other Group E match in Ukraine.

Sorin Ghionea, Valentin Badea and Nicolae Dica scored in the first 43 minutes to give the Romanians a 3-1 lead before Dica finished off the home side with his second 11 minutes from time.

Serhiy Rebrov, Dynamo's all-time leading scorer, notched his 30th goal in European competition in the 16th minute but it was little consolation for Ukraine's most popular club.

Steaua, back in Europe's premier club competition after a 10-year absence, made a flying start with Ghionea heading in at the far post in the third minute.

Dynamo equalised 13 minutes later but the 1986 European champions quickly regained the lead through Badea's diving header. Dica made it 3-1 two minutes before the interval with a great curving free-kick from 30 metres then added a second against the run of play in the 79th minute.

Manchester United won a pulsating British derby when they came from behind to beat Celtic 3-2 in their opening Group F match at Old Trafford.

United equalled their goal tally for all of last season's group games as they recovered from an early setback to overcome Celtic, who were backed by 6,500 travelling supporters.

Celtic stunned United by going ahead through Dutch international striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink after 21 minutes.

However, Louis Saha levelled from the penalty spot after 30 minutes when goalkeeper Artur Boruc clattered into Ryan Giggs.

Saha made it 2-1 to United after 40 minutes before Japanese midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura equalised with a free-kick two minutes before the break.

United clinched victory through substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's 47th-minute goal which ultimately proved to be the decider in a superb match.Debutants FC Copenhagen drew 0-0 with Benfica in their first match in the competition proper in the same group.

In Group G, Arsenal took advantage of an early red card for Hamburg keeper Sascha Kirschstein, and the penalty that went with it, to clinch a 2-1 victory.

Arsenal, who lost last season's final against Barcelona after having goalkeeper Jens Lehmann sent off early in the game, took the lead in the 12th minute after a similar decision had gone their way.

Robin van Persie skipped past Kirschstein on the right of the area and went down as the keeper stretched out a despairing hand, although replays suggested there was not much contact.

Stunning goal

Gilberto put Arsenal ahead with the spot kick and although the English side lived dangerously for a while they settled the game with a stunning long-range drive from Tomas Rosicky in the 53rd minute.

There was a scare at the end, however, when Hamburg's Boubacar Sanogo pulled one back in stoppage time and the German side even threatened to snatch an unlikely draw.

In the other Group G match, Porto, European champions in 2004, drew 0-0 at home to CSKA Moscow.

First half goals from Filippo Inzaghi and French midfielder Yoann Gourcuff and a 77th minute Kaka penalty gave Milan a comfortable 3-0 victory over AEK Athens in Group H.

Inzaghi headed in a Paolo Maldini cross to put the Italians ahead in the 17th minute before Gourcuff headed in a Kaka cross to make it 2-0 four minutes before the interval.

Kaka made sure of the victory for Carlo Ancelotti's side from the penalty spot after Inzaghi was pulled down by AEK defender Evangelos Moras.

Milan, punished during the close season by an Italian sports tribunal which had looked into match-fixing allegations, made it into the Champions League group stage via the qualifying rounds.

Anderlecht were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Lille in the same group.

Yesterday's tally of 20 goals followed the 22 scored on the opening night and brought the total to 42 for Matchday One with European champions Barcelona leading the goal rush with their 5-0 demolition of Levski Sofia on Tuesday.