Carew makes immediate impact

By Christian Châtelet

John Carew made a blistering debut for Olympique Lyonnais, scoring a hat-trick in an emphatic 4-1 French Super Cup win against AJ Auxerre in the season's curtain-raiser at the Stade Abbé Deschamps and ensuring the club lifted the trophy for the fourth year running.

Early penalty
The Norwegian international striker, a €7.5m signing from Besiktas JK, took just two minutes to make his mark against the French Cup holders, winning a penalty after a foul by Fabien Cool. Hatem Benarfa scored from the spot and although Lionel Mathis soon equalised, Carew restored the champions' lead just after the half-hour. He added two more after the break as Lyon repeated their 2003 Super Cup success against Auxerre.

Business as usual
Carew was not the only new arrival at Lyon this summer, Gérard Houllier replacing Paul Le Guen at the helm. But Benarfa's early strike suggested it would be business as usual for the side chasing a record-breaking fifth successive Ligue 1 title.

Surprise equaliser
Auxerre equalised five minutes later though, Mathis latching on to an outstanding pass from Romain Poyet, himself making his first appearance since returning from a loan at Clermont Foot Auvergne. Yet it was destined to be Carew's day and he opened his account for OL on 33 minutes, converting Sidney Gouvou's pin-point cross.

Understrength Auxerre
Missing five first-teamers, Auxerre struggled to find a way back and Carew's second and Lyon's third midway through the second half effectively killed off their challenge. The centre-forward powered past Auxerre's defence before slotting home.

Carew hat-trick
He completed his hat-trick on 73 minutes, sealing a maiden trophy triumph for Houllier and leaving new Auxerre coach Jacques Santini with questions to answer ahead of the weekend's Ligue 1 kick-off.