Chile champions Colo Colo beaten

CHILE

Union San Felipe marked their return to the top flight with a 3-2 home win over Colo Colo on the opening weekend of the Apertura championship, first of two in the 2010 season.

Colo Colo goalkeeper Francisco Prieto had a nightmare match, gifting San Felipe a penalty from which forward Gaston Leva put them 2-1 up early in the second half and being caught out of position by substitute Juan Estay's winner 14 minutes from time.

Striker Juan Manuel Olivera scored twice for last season's Clausura winners Universidad de Chile, who crushed Cobresal 5-1.

URUGUAY

Champions Nacional made light of the loss of brilliant Uruguay midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro, transferred to Ajax Amsterdam last week, to make a winning start to the Clausura championship.

Nacional, who won the Apertura in the first half of the season in December, beat Cerro Largo 3-1 to register their ninth successive league win.

Veteran Argentine midfielder Angel Morales continued where he left off last year as Lodeiro's creative partner, laying on two goals for forwards Mario Regueiro and Gustavo Varela in the opening half hour and substitute Sergio Blanco 15 minutes from the end.

Arch-rivals Penarol beat Wanderers 4-2 with two goals from midfielder Antonio Pacheco, while Jonathan Ramirez hit a hat-trick as Tacuarembo came from two goals down to win 5-4 away to Danubio.

VENEZUELA

Real Esppor are the surprise leaders after only two rounds of the Clausura championship as the only team with maximum points following a 3-2 win over Deportivo Anzoategui.

Apertura championship winners Deportivo Tachira, who beat Carabobo 2-0, and last season's champions Caracas FC, following a 3-1 home win against Trujillanos with a brace from midfielder Jesus Gomez, have four points apiece.