VALENCIA, Spain (AP) - Zaragoza pulled off a surprise 3-1 second-leg victory over Valencia at its Mestalla Stadium on Tuesday to lift the Spanish Supercup by an aggregate score of 3-2.
Brazilian defender Alvaro Maior, Argentine midfielder Luciano Galletti and striker Javi Moreno netted as last season's Copa del Rey winner stunned the league champion by overcoming a 1-0 first-leg deficit to win the Spanish season's first trophy.
Italian forward Bernardo Corradi scored Valencia's goal.
"We played well, we planned the game well but we also played well in the first leg," Zaragoza coach Victor Munoz told Spanish state TV.
Valencia's defeat was a disappointing start for its Italian coach Claudio Ranieri, who returned to the club this summer after five years away to replace Rafa Benitez. Benitez resigned in June after guiding the team to the league and UEFA Cup, and took charge of Liverpool.
Ranieri, who lacked injured first-leg goalscorer Vicente Rodriguez, picked new signings Corradi, his compatriot Stefano Fiore and Portuguese defender Marco Caneira but the trio began badly as Valencia conceded two goals before the interval.
Zaragoza's first came in the 11th minute when Alvaro leaped at the far post to head powerfully home from a cross by Brazilian winger Savio Bortolini.
Worse came for Valencia in the 34th when Galletti was put clear on the left by forward David Villa and the Argentine midfielder made no mistake with a low shot squeezed between goalkeeper Santiago Canizares and the post.
Ranieri brought on forwards Pablo Aimar and Miguel Angel Angulo at the start of the second half in the hope of fighting back, and within eight minutes his team had reduced the deficit.
A quickly taken free kick led to Angulo helping on Caneira's cross, and Corradi was well placed to fire home from close range.
While the Italian striker's goal leveled the scores on aggregate, Valencia still faced defeat on away goals, so Ranieri's team piled forward in search of a second goal.
Against the run of play, Zaragoza secured its triumph with eight minutes remaining when Moreno headed home from a corner at the near post. The striker clashed heads with Valencia central defender David Navarro as he nodded the ball, and celebrated his goal with blood streaming down the side of his face.
Valencia will aim to bounce back when it faces FC Porto in the European Supercup on Friday.
Ranieri's team kicks off its league title defense the following Monday with a home match against Villarreal. Zaragoza begins its league campaign with a home game against Getafe on Sunday.
Brazilian defender Alvaro Maior, Argentine midfielder Luciano Galletti and striker Javi Moreno netted as last season's Copa del Rey winner stunned the league champion by overcoming a 1-0 first-leg deficit to win the Spanish season's first trophy.
Italian forward Bernardo Corradi scored Valencia's goal.
"We played well, we planned the game well but we also played well in the first leg," Zaragoza coach Victor Munoz told Spanish state TV.
Valencia's defeat was a disappointing start for its Italian coach Claudio Ranieri, who returned to the club this summer after five years away to replace Rafa Benitez. Benitez resigned in June after guiding the team to the league and UEFA Cup, and took charge of Liverpool.
Ranieri, who lacked injured first-leg goalscorer Vicente Rodriguez, picked new signings Corradi, his compatriot Stefano Fiore and Portuguese defender Marco Caneira but the trio began badly as Valencia conceded two goals before the interval.
Zaragoza's first came in the 11th minute when Alvaro leaped at the far post to head powerfully home from a cross by Brazilian winger Savio Bortolini.
Worse came for Valencia in the 34th when Galletti was put clear on the left by forward David Villa and the Argentine midfielder made no mistake with a low shot squeezed between goalkeeper Santiago Canizares and the post.
Ranieri brought on forwards Pablo Aimar and Miguel Angel Angulo at the start of the second half in the hope of fighting back, and within eight minutes his team had reduced the deficit.
A quickly taken free kick led to Angulo helping on Caneira's cross, and Corradi was well placed to fire home from close range.
While the Italian striker's goal leveled the scores on aggregate, Valencia still faced defeat on away goals, so Ranieri's team piled forward in search of a second goal.
Against the run of play, Zaragoza secured its triumph with eight minutes remaining when Moreno headed home from a corner at the near post. The striker clashed heads with Valencia central defender David Navarro as he nodded the ball, and celebrated his goal with blood streaming down the side of his face.
Valencia will aim to bounce back when it faces FC Porto in the European Supercup on Friday.
Ranieri's team kicks off its league title defense the following Monday with a home match against Villarreal. Zaragoza begins its league campaign with a home game against Getafe on Sunday.
