BARCELONA, Spain (AP):

Cristiano Ronaldo scored from long range to seal Real Madrid's 2-0 victory over the promoted Cordoba yesterday while Atletico Madrid were held 0-0 at Rayo Vallecano as they stumbled at the start of their Spanish league title defence.

Ronaldo and Karim Benzema made sure that the European champions made a winning start in their league opener with goals in each half of a victory that a frisky Cordoba threatened to spoil.

Suspended coach Diego Simeone then watched from the stands at Vallecas Stadium as his Atletico failed to equal Madrid's and Barcelona's first-round victories.

Benzema headed in the opening goal on the half-hour mark of a first half that Madrid dominated under the direction of new signing Toni Kroos.

But Cordoba surged forward in the second half, turning its first game in the top flight in 42 years into an evenly matched contest against the Champions League winners.

Ronaldo shook off an otherwise drab performance with a strike that only few can match when he blasted in a right-foot shot from well outside the area in the 90th.

"We begin suffering, but with a win. So that's fine," said Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti. "Cristiano isn't fully fit, like the rest of the group. But this week of work will help us in that sense."

Ronaldo and the rest of Madrid were eager to rebound from its 1-0 loss at Atletico last Friday that cost them the Spanish Super Cup, and to match Barcelona's strong start from Sunday when Lionel Messi scored twice to beat Elche 3-0.