Beckham's competitive debut is a quiet affair

Soccer Spanish Super Cup Real Mallorca 2 Real Madrid 1Real Mallorca outplayed league champions Real Madrid to claim a thoroughly deserved 2-1 win in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup at Son Moix yesterday.

England captain David Beckham, playing his first competitive game for Real in the curtain-raiser to the Spanish season, again looked well below his best and was replaced by French midfielder Claude Makelele 10 minutes into the second half.

The England skipper, given a zero rating for his performance in the friendly with Valencia last week, did however produce a trademark far-post corner which Luis Figo chested down before rifling the visitors in front.

Other than that, it was largely a quiet night for Beckham, handed a central midfield role by coach Carlos Queiroz, as the home side dominated possession and won thanks to goals from Arnold Bruggink and Samuel Eto'o .

It took nine minutes for Beckham to get his first meaningful touch, and he was forced to join the massed ranks of the Real defence as Mallorca pressed forward ferociously.

Eto'o drove a shot just wide after playing a neat one-two with Bruggink as, like the rest of his illustrious new team-mates, Beckham struggled to impose himself.

But Beckham's greatest attribute is his prowess at set-pieces and after 19 minutes he sent one over from the left for Figo's goal.

For the most part, however,Beckham was nothing more than a touchline bystander as Zinedine Zidane, Figo and Raul cut the home rearguard to ribbons, setting up Ronaldo on the left edge of the area, only for Fernando Nino to bundle the Brazilian's shot off the line.

Alejandro Campano wasted an excellent opportunity to equalise after Oto'o had again created the space and for all the attacking talent in the visitors' line-up, the Cameroon international was the most eye-catching offensive player on show.

Igor Casillas was called on to block a Campano effort but, just as it looked as though Real would preserve their lead to half-time, Bruggink found himself in space eight yards out and whipped the ball into the visitors' net

After the break, Eto'o fed Campano, then held his position inside the box to take the return ball before unleashing a thunderbolt effort which beat Casillas.

Beckham's evening was brought to a premature end after 55 minutes when he was replaced by controversial Makelele, a man far more suited to the role Beckham was being asked to carry out.