Sevilla and Valencia recorded opening day wins in La Liga, helping dispel some of the doubts surrounding their abilities to challenge for honours this season. Sevilla shook off a heavy defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup and a shock reverse against Braga in the Champions League playoffs to beat promoted Levante 4-1 away. Two goals from Joaquin helped Valencia to a 3-1 win at Malaga as it started a new era without Spanish World Cup winning duo David Villa and David Silva. In the day's other game, Spain striker Fernando Llorente headed the only goal as Athletic Bilbao won 1-0 at promoted Hercules. Cesena holds Roma Newly promoted Cesena held AS Roma to a 0-0 draw Saturday to mark its return to the top division after a 20-year absence, kicking off the Serie A season. Earlier, Genoa won 1-0 at Udinese, with Giandomenico Mesto scoring the season's first goal with a bicycle kick. Hoffenheim on top Hoffenheim had Isaac Vorsah to thank for a late goal Saturday night that gave it a 1-0 win at newcomers St. Pauli and with it the joint early lead in the Bundesliga. The Ghana defender headed home in the 87th minute to earn his side the three points that put it top of the league. Earlier, Wolfsburg playmaker Diego marked his return to the Bundesliga with a goal but was unable to prevent his new side's shock 4-3 defeat by Mainz, while Schalke also crashed at home to Hanover. Last season's runner-up Schalke was shocked 2-1 at home to Hanover. Hamburg came from behind to win 3-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt. Bremen bounced back from its hammering on the opening day of the season against Hoffenheim when it beat Cologne 4-1, while Freiburg beat Nuremberg 2-1. Toulouse beats Nancy Midfielders Etienne Capoue and Franck Tabanou scored second-half goals as French league leader Toulouse won 2-0 at Nancy to maintain its perfect start to the new season with a fourth straight win. Elsewhere, seven-time champion Lyon lost 2-0 at Lorient and Saint-Etienne winger Dimitri Payet scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Lens. Caen lost 2-0 at home to Brest in Saturday's late game and relinquished second place, dropping down to fifth. Rennes is now in second place with eight points after winning 1-0 at Arles-Avignon, leading third-place Montpellier – which won 1-0 at Valenciennes – only on goal difference. Saint-Etienne climbed up to fourth spot with seven points, and narrowly leads Caen on goal difference.
