A quick-fire double from captain Raul and a well-taken header by new signing Robinho allowed 10-man Real Madrid to fight back from a goal down to claim a 3-1 win at home to Athletic Bilbao on Thursday.
England defender Jonathan Woodgate, however, had a miserable debut for the home team. He headed into his own net in the first half before being sent off midway through the second.
Real's first victory in three league outings pushed them into fifth place in the Spanish Primera Liga, three points behind leaders Celta Vigo and a point ahead of arch-rivals Barcelona.
The hosts showed little sign of improvement in the first period as they struggled to keep control of the ball and were hurried in attack.
Robinho managed an isolated shot on goal when he drilled a powerful strike against the post from outside the area after a neat back-heel from Raul in the seventh minute.
But without the injured Zinedine Zidane and with Thomas Gravesen and Pablo Garcia occupying the centre of midfield, Real lacked ideas and quickly surrendered the initiative to the visitors.
Things went from bad to worse midway through the half.
The injury-plagued Woodgate, playing his first competitive match in 17 months, tried to clear a dangerous cross from striker Joseba Etxeberria with a diving header but only succeeded in diverting the ball into his own net to give Bilbao the lead.
YELLOW CARD
The former Newcastle United defender was lucky to stay on the pitch when he clattered into Carlos Gurpegi before the break, earning a yellow card.
Coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo tried to solve his team's problems by sending Guti on in place of Gravesen at halftime and Real looked a different side with the Spaniard at the helm.
David Beckham whipped in a free kick from the left in the 53rd minute and Robinho got in front of a forest of defenders to head in at the near post.
Robinho's fellow Brazilian Ronaldo set up Raul for his first goal 12 minutes later, bursting through the defence before unselfishly laying the ball off for his skipper to score at the far post.
The unfortunate Woodgate, who left Newcastle for Madrid for a transfer fee close to 20 million euros ($24.42 million) in August 2004, received his marching orders after he picked up a second booking for a foul on Etxeberria.
Raul made certain of Real's win when he met a 69th-minute corner from Beckham with an expert glancing header that spun over the keeper and into the net.
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