Overmars give Ajax flying start

EUROPEAN ROUND-UP

EUROPEAN ROUND-UP

Ajax, the European Cup holders, sent a clear message to all pretenders that they will not surrender their crown easily when they beat the six- times holders, Real Madrid, 1-0 in their Champions' League Group D match in Amsterdam last night.

The Ajax match-winner was their international winger Marc Overmars, who found space and time in the 14th minute to beat Francisco Buyo, in the Madrid goal, with a low shot.

The performance of the night, though, came from Juventus, who came back from the shock of conceding a goal in the first minute to their former midfielder, Andreas Moller, to secure a 3-1 win at Borussia Dortmund.

Goals from Michele Padovano, Alessandro Del Piero and Antonio Conte gave the 1985 European Cup winners a great start in Group C. Juventus made light of the absence of their experienced forwards, Gianluca Vialli and Fabrizio Ravanelli, as Del Piero ran the show, scoring with a delightful curling shot and making the other two goals.