Beckham makes outstanding league debut

David Beckham took just over two minutes to mark an outstanding league debut for Real Madrid with a goal and set the Santiago Bernabeu crowd chanting his name for the second time in four days.

But the England captain, who had also found the net in Real's 3-0 Super Cup win over Real Mallorca in midweek, did far more in Saturday's 2-1 victory over Real Betis, than simply show he can convert a simple scoring chance.

With a series of precise passes, dangerous right-wing crosses and a deadly through ball to set up his side's second goal, Beckham could claim to have settled the question of whether he is worth a place in such celebrated company.

"It was nice to score again and nice to get the result. When you've got players like the players here you are always going to get chances," he told reporters.

Beckham, playing his first league match for the Spanish champions since making his 35 million-euros ($38.27 million) move from Manchester United, showed what an astute piece of business that could be with an explosive start to the game.

Before many Real fans had taken their seats, Zinedine Zidane carried the ball forward and picked out Ronaldo on the left edge of the area.

The Brazilian played a smart one-two with Raul and crossed from the dead-ball line for Beckham to side-foot into an all but empty net.

Real coach Carlos Queiroz had cautioned after Beckham's goalscoring start against Mallorca that the England man still had plenty of scope for improvement in terms of his overall worth to the team.

For the remainder of the game, Beckham set about demonstrating that he could more than match Queiroz's demands.

After missing a decent chance from a free kick with 15 minutes gone, he next threatened with a perfectly weighted pass to Ronaldo, who advanced into the area but was checked by the defence.

With 29 minutes gone, Beckham sent in the first of a series of whipped crossed from the right, only for the keeper to claim the ball under pressure from Luis Figo.

Two more crosses followed in first-half injury-time, both accurately struck but hastily cleared by the visiting defence.

By that time, Betis had equalised, Juanito beating Esteban Cambiasso to a Joaquin corner after 34 minutes and heading home, and it was clear that Real would have to produce something more refined in the second half.

Beckham helped provide it, 17 minutes after a halftime appearance from super-streaker Mark Roberts had seen him proclaimed as "Golden Balls" in body paint.

Another flighted through ball picked out Zidane in space on the left and the French midfielder arrowed in a cross for Ronaldo to tuck in the second goal.

That contribution from a more central midfield slot gave the England man an immediate boost in confidence and he was arguably the outstanding player during the second half.

One touchline-to-touchline pass for Luis Figo brought warm applause from the Bernabeu crowd and several more chipped through balls came close to providing further goals.

Queiroz still has plenty of work to do in organising his midfield following the imminent departure of Claude Makelele to Chelsea.

Beckham was a more or less constant threat but his place in the side leaves Cambiasso as the only defensive player in the centre for Real, and Betis took control of the game late in the second half.

Beckham could be proud of his first performance in a league game for Real, though, and some poor finishing from Betis left him able to celebrate with a debut victory.