English Premiership champions Manchester United beat Deportivo La Coruna 2-0 in their European Champions League quarter-final first leg here on Tuesday in rainy conditions.
After 12 previously fruitless attempts, 13 was the 1999 European champions' lucky number as they notched up their first win over Spanish opposition in Spain.
First half goals from David Beckham, a spectacular lob from 35 metres, and Ruud van Nistelrooy ensured United return to Old Trafford for next Wednesday's second leg as the overwhelming favourites to progress to the semifinals.
However, they will be without club captain Roy Keane for those matches as the Irishman was stretchered off in the first half in a clash with Sergio Gonzalez and will miss up to six weeks with a hamstring injury.
United coach Sir Alex Ferguson clearly decided that attack was the best form of defence, despite opting to start with English international Nicky Butt in the midfield rather than having Norwegian striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer accompany van Nistelrooy up front.
"Butt was there to contain Juan Carlos Valeron, but in Europe you have to attack in order to reach a level at which you can be successful. We reached that level tonight," commented Ferguson.
"I just hope that next week we don't regret the chances we missed, but the spirit we showed gives us a big chance," added the taciturn
Scotsman, taking nothing for granted.
The Reds took the initiative from the kick-off with an early chance falling to Paul Scholes after just four minutes.
Eleven minutes later Beckham produced another piece of magic that will remain in his scrapbook -and the memories of the 1,500 United fans who made the difficult trip to Galicia - long after he has retired.
Like his spectacular injury-time free-kick that secured World Cup qualification for England against Greece last year, Beckham showed vision that few in the game can equal when the ball ran loose in the midfield.
Seeing that the Deportivo back four had pressed too far forward, Beckham lobbed the ball over them and the Deportivo goalkeeper Francisco Molina.
The despairing former Spanish international realised too late that it was flying under his cross bar rather than over it.
Deportivo settled themselves and started to make opportunites of their own, with chances falling to Diego Tristan, Cesar Martin and Victor Sanchez, but after soaking up 15 minutes of pressure Manchester United got back into the game.
Van Nistelrooy got United's second goal after 39 minutes, connecting with a Mikael Silvestre cross.
The visitors nearly added a third 12 minutes from the whistle when Solskjaer, who had come on for van Nistelrooy only two minutes before, hit the post.
Despite the miserable night for Deportivo, their coach Javier Irureta still believes they can come back from the brink.
"In football nothing is definite. If
we can get one early goal then everything can be overcome. However, the first goal we conceded was a present to them," said Irureta, criticising his out of position defenders.
A negative note for United, in addition to the injury to Keane, on a night when they got revenge for their two defeats by Deportivo in the first round group stage was the three yellow cards they were shown.
The two goalscorers were booked needlessly in the first half, actions they might regret if, as expected, United reach the semifinals to face either Liverpool or Bayer Leverkusen.
Beckham handled the ball deliberately in a seemingly safe position while van Nistelrooy came back onto the field without permission, having left briefly to get treatment following a foul.
Paul Scholes will miss next week's return match after being booked for hacking Spanish international Valeron early in the second half and picking up a second yellow card in the Champions League.
Ferguson, in familiar fashion, unhesitatingly defended his player despite the evidence, and remains optimistic that it will not seriously affect his team.
"Paul was unlucky but we have the resources to cope and will have to cope," said Ferguson.
Characteristically, he turned his anger on the opposition after Tristan had scythed down Beckham in injury time, and the England captain also left the field on a stretcher, although Ferguson only described the injury as a blow to the left ankle without revealing its severity.
"It was a terrible tackle on David. I'm amazed it only got a yellow card, it deserved a red," fumed Ferguson.