MAXI RODRIGUEZ gave Diego Maradona a winning start as Argentina coach in a 1-0 victory over Scotland in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Maxi finished off a slick move in the eighth minute after a run and cross by Carlos Tevez and flick-on by Jonas Gutierrez at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Maradona, who has been hired to turn Argentina’s talented players into a team capable of winning the World Cup, spun around and punched the air to celebrate the victory, which was achieved despite the absence of rested stars Lionel Messi and Juan Roman Riquelme.

“We think it is a new era and it was very important to win,” said midfielder Javier Mascherano, who was made captain by Maradona. “When you start to play with a new manager the motivation is so different — maybe it’s a little bit extra when you see Maradona on the bench.”

In another friendly Wednesday, Luis Fabiano’s hat trick powered Brazil to a 6-2 rout of Portugal.(SD-Agencies)