Londoners ease into Euro campaigns

Soccer – Champions League:Arsenal and Chelsea ran out convincing winners in their respective Champions League games against Braga and Zilina to get their European campaigns under way in the easiest of fashions. Aiden McGeady's Spartak Moscow were also winners on the night.

Cesc Fabregas played the role of chief tormentor to perfection as Braga's Champions League debut ended in a humbling 6-0 defeat in Group H at the Emirates.

The Spanish midfielder opened Arsenal’s scoring with a penalty, struck again after half-time and was at the heart of a dazzling display by the home side.

Braga, nicknamed the Arsenalistas, beat Sevilla to take their place alongside Europe's elite but were swamped before half-time as Arsene Wenger's side went through their training ground routines.

Andrei Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh helped themselves to goals and substitute Carlos Vela joined the party with two after the break as Arsenal, without several first-teamers, fired a warning to the other sides in the group.

Chelsea set about their assault on the Champions League just as they have started their Premier League defence as they strolled to a 4-1 victory at MSK Zilina in Group F.

The Londoners, who have won their first four league games and scored 17 goals in the process, cruised to a 3-0 halftime lead with two goals by Nicolas Anelka and one for Michael Essien.

When Daniel Sturridge added the fourth three minutes after the restart a real thrashing looked on the cards but the Slovakian outsiders dug in and pulled one back through Tomas Oravec.

Chelsea were untroubled after that, however, and will be delighted to have negotiated their first hurdle so comfortably as they seek the elusive Champions League title having reached the semi-finals four times in the last six years.

A Cesar Azpilicueta own goal gave Spartak Moscow a 1-0 win at Olympique Marseille where McGeady was in action.

Spain's Azpilicueta, signed from Osasuna for a reported fee of €7.5million, deflected a Dmitri Kombarov cross into his own net with nine minutes let in a dull match at the Stade Velodrome.

French champions Marseille were expected to battle it out with the Russian side for second place in Group F also featuring Zilina and Chelsea.

Gonzalo Higuain netted a neat volley to save dominant Real Madrid's blushes, helping the La Liga giants to a 2-0 victory over Ajax Amsterdam in Group G.

Real, starting their bid for a 10th European title with new coach Jose Mourinho at the helm, fluffed a slew of chances at a sultry Bernabeu. Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina winger Angel Di Maria were especially wasteful.

Di Maria's international team mate Higuain was initially credited with the opening goal in the 31st minute but Uefa later ruled it had gone in off defender Vurnon Anita (www.uefa.com).

Ajax, four-time winners, hardly threatened the home goal, although Urby Emanuelson hit the crossbar with just over 10 minutes remaining.

Higuain made the game safe in the 73rd minute when he volleyed home from close range after excellent work from Mesut Ozil.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic crowned his AC Milan home debut with both goals in an otherwise sloppy 2-0 win over Auxerre in their Group G opener.

The former Inter Milan striker, heartily welcomed back to the San Siro by Milan fans after his arrival from Barcelona, struggled in a woeful first half but was in the right place on 66 minutes to prod in Kevin Prince Boateng's flick on.

Ronaldinho's burst down the middle then set up the Swede for a cool finish inside the far post three minutes later to send the 69,000 crowd wild.

Auxerre, yet to win in Ligue 1 this term, had the best chances before the goals when Adama Coulibaly headed against the bar and Steeven Langil fired over when he should have squared it with Milan completely outnumbered at the back.

Bayern Munich scored twice in the final 11 minutes through Thomas Mueller and Miroslav Klose to beat AS Roma 2-0 in their Group E opener.

Mueller beautifully curled a shot from the right past Roma keeper Julio Sergio in the 79th minute and substitute Klose added another four minutes later for last season's beaten finalists.

Both teams kicked off the encouter with a good chance, Ivica Olic seeing his shot saved on eight minutes and Roma's Marco Cassetti sending his low drive narrowly wide seconds later.

But the Italians, crushed 5-1 at Cagliari on Saturday, quickly locked down their half of the pitch with an impenetrable double backline that stifled any offensive moves by Bayern.

Champions League Results

Group E
Bayern Munich 2 Roma 0
CFR Cluj-Napoca 2 Basle 1

Group F
MSK Zilina 1 Chelsea 4
Marseille 0 Spartak Moscow 1

Group G
AC Milan 2 Auxerre 0
Real Madrid 2 Ajax 0

Group H
Arsenal 6 Braga 0
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 Partizan Belgrade 0