Morientes, returning to competitve action for the club after last season's loan spell at Monaco, struck when David Beckham sent in a well-weighted cross in the 72nd minute.

He added a second on the stroke of full-time, converting a cross from Roberto Carlos to take Real into the home leg of the tie with a comfortable advantage.

Morientes started on the bench but his introduction after 68 minutes for playmaker Zinedine Zidane seemed to pour cold water on media speculation that Real were ready to let him go in part exchange for Liverpool striker Michael Owen.

New Real coach Jose Antonio Camacho confirmed as much after the match, saying: 'There are no plans relating to Morientes leaving the club'. Regarding a move for Owen, he added cryptically: 'I've heard that the decisions have been made.'

Until Morientes came on Real had looked sluggish and only threatened in spells against a Krakow team desperate to be the first Poles to reach the group stage since Widzew Lodz in 1998.

Real's best chances came in the first five minutes when Brazil's Roberto Carlos hit a close-range shot straight at Krakow goalkeeper Radoslaw Majdan and Raul was inches from reaching a Luis Figo cross at the far post.

Zidane and Ronaldo also fluffed chances in the box later in the first half, with Wisla's response limited to a scrambled half-chance for Nigerian international Kalu Uche.

The Poles did better in the second half with a stinging 20-metre drive from Argentine Mauro Cantoro and a mazy run and shot from Poland striker Maciej Zurawski the closest they came to scoring from a series of openings.

Source: soccernet.com

Champions League 2004-2005