Barcelona, Inter Milan register easy wins

HEAD ON: Sporting's Leandro Romagnoli (L) fights for the ball against Barcelona's Seydu Keita during their Champions League match.

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Barcelona: FC Barcelona beat Sporting Lisbon 3-1 on Tuesday in Group C of the Champions League on goals from Rafael Marquez and Xavi Hernandez and a penalty kick by Samuel Eto'o.

The result at Camp Nou Stadium gave rookie coach Pep Guardiola his first victory of the season and take some pressure off after Barcelona's worst domestic start for 35 years.

"The sensations are good ones," Guardiola said. "Results always help everything."

Marquez scored with a header in the 21st minute before Eto'o's 60th-minute penalty doubled Barcelona's lead.

Tonel stabbed home a cross in the 72nd to pull a goal back as Sporting threatened to steal a point despite Barcelona's dominant performance, but Xavi scored in the 87th to clinch the win.

In the other Group C game, Shakhtar Donetsk won 3-1 at FC Basel.

Barcelona and next opponent Shakhtar have three points to top the group. Sporting have zero points.

Guardiola, the former Barcelona player whose previous coaching experience was with the club's youth team, replaced Frank Rijkaard after the Dutchman won two league titles and the club's second European Cup in 2006 in his five seasons in charge.

"We've had three games and in two of them we've played really well," Eto'o said. "If we had drawn, the nerves would have crept up but with this win I think we can get on a roll."

"The most important thing is the victory."

Sporting defender Abel nudged Eto'o in the back as the Barcelona striker looked to meet Daniel Alves' cross in front of goal.

The Cameroon striker made no mistake from the spot, scoring into the bottom left of goal as goalkeeper Rui Patricio went the wrong way.

Marquez scored after moving into the area to head Xavi's corner across goal, with the ball bouncing under the diving Patricio to land inside the far post.

Barcelona's dominance was nearly unraveled after Tonel reached between two defenders to divert substitute Miguel Veloso's free kick into goal with his outstretched right foot.

But Xavi quelled the nerves by sliding under his marker to meet Andres Iniesta's cross from the left at the far post in a goal reminiscent of his winner for Spain in their 3-0 semi-final win over Russia at the European Championship in June.

Barcelona controlled play early with Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry and Alves all going close in the first 15 minutes.

Messi eluded Joao Moutinho and three Sporting players as he cut across the area, but his left-footed shot glanced just wide of the post in 18th.

A poor pass from Gerard Pique led to Sporting midfielder Fabio Rochemback's 25-meter (yard) free kick in the 31st that goalkeeper Victor Valdes punched away.