Celta Vigo have got their new La Liga campaign off to a positive start with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Getafe this evening.
The hosts were almost ahead within four minutes of the new season as Alex Lopez received a pass on the edge of the box, but his subsequent effort came back off the post.
The rebound fell kindly for Fabian Orellana, but he couldn't turn his header home as Vicente Guaita recovered in time to make the save.
Celta did break the deadlock 20 minutes in, however, as a cross from the right was flicked on to Nolito at the back post, and he somehow squeezed the ball past the keeper from a tight angle.
Joaquin Larrivey almost doubled his side's advantage four minutes later when he found space to shoot inside the box, but this time the keeper was equal to it.
Lopez must have thought that his luck was out five minutes after the restart when he again struck the woodwork, this time rattling the bar with a powerful effort.
The hosts wouldn't have to wait long for a second, however, with Orellana providing it six minutes later with a fine curling effort into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Getafe hit back just past the hour mark, though, as Angel Lafita went on a fine run before squaring the ball for Sammir, who poked it into the bottom corner from just inside the box.
Celta restored their two-goal advantage with just 20 minutes remaining as Nolito played a perfectly-weighted ball through for Larrivey, who squeezed his shot under the keeper and into the corner.
That proved to be the end of the scoring as the hosts held out for a positive opening victory.
Barney Corkhill
