In a week packed full of action from around the continent, Europe was a veritable feeding frenzy for the soccer-starved. One of the Milan teams toppling the other, Chelsea going top in England, and match Day 2 from the Champions League's commencement are among the feast this week.
Chelsea is top of the Premiership this week after an easy 2-0 victory over Stoke City. Chelsea's class was too much for the Stoke side, and early on, City goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen did well to keep out a tirade of shots. The breakthrough came in the 36th minute after an emphatic finish from newly signed Portuguese fullback Jose Bosingwa. Chelsea continued to pressure Stoke in the second half, and Bosingwa, who was signed for his offensive capabilities, was the architect of the Blue's second goal - his deflected cross finding Nicolas Anelka, who slotted it home.
Liverpool got back to its winning ways this week, claiming a comfortable victory over Everton in the 208th Merseyside Derby. The visitors won 2-0, with Fernando Torres scoring twice, and the afternoon only got worse for Everton after Tim Cahill, a key cog in their midfield, was sent off late in the match. Wayne Rooney scored a spectacular second-half goal, as Manchester United beat Bolton 2-0 with Cristiano Ronaldo getting the other in the form of a very dubious penalty.
The most shocking result in England this week was Arsenal's defeat at the hands of newly promoted Hull. The underdogs went behind with an own-goal, but Geovanni drew level with a stunning effort from distance and Daniel Cousin headed Hull into the lead four minutes later. Aston Villa moved up to third in the league, behind Chelsea and Liverpool, after beating Sunderland 2-1.
In Spain this week, David Villa continued his phenomenal form and maintained Valencia at the top of La Liga. The striker scored twice in the 4-2 victory over Deportivo la Coruna along with Joaquin and Mata. Another win for Villarreal means they are now second in the league, with substitute Giuseppe Rossi scoring the only goal in their 1-0 victory over Sporting Gijon. Two former Manchester United players scored for Real Madrid this week as they won 2-1 against Real Betis. Gabriel Heinze and Ruud van Nistelrooy scored for Madrid, as they reached third in Primera Division. Barcelona, languishing at fifth in the league, claimed a 2-1 win over Espanyol this week, with Thierry Henry and Leo Messi scoring the decisive goals in the Catalan derby.
In a clash of the Italian heavyweights this weekend, AC Milan took home the honors against Inter Milan. Ronaldinho won the Milan derby with a first half goal, and Inter never looked to threaten, finishing the game with only nine men. The defeat sends Inter Milan down to fourth place in the league. Lazio assumed the top position in Serie A after this week's play, with a convincing 3-1 victory over Torino, and Napoli is a surprise second after winning 1-0 over Bologna.
This week signals match Day 2 in the UEFA Champions League, welcoming with it a host of intriguing match-ups. In a fascinating Group F faceoff, last year's German and French champions did battle. The match between Bayern Munich and Lyon ended in a disappointing 1-1 tie. The game was an open and flowing affair, with both sides having ample opportunities to win it.
Ze Roberto scored for the Germans, but an unfortunate own goal from defender Martin Demichelis early in the game caused the tie. Arsenal punished a strong Porto team, 4-0, with a performance that exuded an air of unexpected confidence for such a young side. Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor both scored twice for the London club in this emphatic victory. Marcos Senna's unstoppable free kick handed Villarreal a victory that keeps them atop Group E.
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