Deportivo mark return with win

Deportivo La Coruna marked their return to Spain's top flight with a 2-0 win over Osasuna.

Riki missed a penalty but recovered to open the scoring and Nelson Oliveria finished things off as Deportivo La Coruna marked their return to Spain's top flight with a win. Thirty-one-year-old former Real Madrid reserve player Riki spurned a golden chance when he stepped up from 12 yards on the stroke of the half-time whistle, but responded with the first goal of the game six minutes after the resumption. Oliveira then wrapped things up with a well-taken second as the Segunda Division champions were able to start with a three-point haul, while Osasuna, who finished seventh last season, were given an early reminder of how hard it will be for them to repeat that. As has been the way with a number of games this weekend, the match kicked off at breakneck speed with three goalscoring opportunities arising inside the opening seven minutes. Osasuna were the first to threaten when Abella Damia skied over from the edge of the box, before team-mate Alvaro Cejudo did the same thing. Depo tried their luck after that and went agonisingly close, with Luis Pizzi thumping the bar from close in after a cross from Alexandre Bruno Gama. The home side took control after that, with Artiles Aythami the next to go close when his six-yard effort was blocked by Alejandro Arribas. Osasuna responded with Miguel Flano drawing a save from Daniel Aranzubia and Joseba Llorente hitting over, while Riki ensured Deportivo remained a threat when he drilled wide from inside the area. The same man had an even better opportunity on the stroke of the half-time whistle when Marc Betran hacked down Flano in the box, but his penalty hit the post and the scores remained level at the break. If there was any suggestion of Riki being affected by his miss he dispelled it quickly after the restart, cracking in from 18 yards when the ball fell to him on the edge of the area. Abel Aguilar should have doubled the lead just after the hour when he put a free header wide, while Nelson Oliveira forced Andre Fernandez into some acrobatics as the home side turned the screw. Enrique Sola looked for an Osasuna response but was off target, as he was again with two minutes left, and the visitors were forced to head home with nothing as Depo shut up shop and added a second through Oliveira's last-minute drive from the edge of the area.