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PARIS: The group stage of the inaugural Europa League got under way on Thursday, with pre-tournament favourites Roma and Hamburg both succumbing to surprise defeats in their opening matches.
Roma, with Claudio Ranieri at the helm for his first European assignment at the club, went down 2-0 at Swiss side Basel in Group E, while German league leaders Hamburg were stunned 3-0 by Rapid Vienna in Group C.
An injury-time goal from Marc Janko earned Red Bull Salzburg a shock 2-1 comeback win at Roma's city rivals Lazio, enabling Villarreal to steal a march in Group G with a 1-0 home win over Levski Sofia.
European football's governing body UEFA is using the tournament to trial the deployment of extra referee assistants behind each goal-line and the officials were an eye-catching if uncontroversial presence on the night.
The extra officials are the brain-child of UEFA president Michel Platini, and the Frenchman was doubly assured of a place in the headlines after his namesake - a Brazilian striker called Michel whose nickname is Platini - scored the opening goal in CSKA Sofia's 1-1 draw against Fulham.
Shakhtar Donetsk, who beat Werder Bremen in the last ever UEFA Cup final in May, began their defence with a 4-1 win at Club Brugge in Group C, while Everton trounced AEK Athens 4-0 in Group I but had Louis Saha sent off following an injury-time altercation with visiting defender Juanfran.
Genoa's Spanish midfielder Alberto Zapater had the honour of scoring the first ever goal in the tournament's group stage, and his fourth-minute strike set the current Serie A leaders on the way to a 2-0 victory at home to Slavia Prague in Group B.
Elsewhere, Scottish giants Celtic let a 1-0 lead slip in a 2-1 defeat at Hapoel Tel Aviv, while a late equaliser from Ivorian forward Gervinho earned French side Lille a 1-1 draw at home to 2004 champions Valencia.
"I think it was a fair result," said Valencia coach Unai Emery.
"We came up against a good team in Lille. Of course there's a bit of regret because we were leading and we were pegged back. It means we lose points but the overall performance was satisfying."
Brazil-born Portuguese international Liedson netted a hat-trick as Sporting Lisbon won 3-2 at Dutch side Heerenveen and there were also wins for Benfica, Athletic Bilbao, Turkish giants Galatasaray and Werder Bremen.
The Europa League is a re-named, streamlined version of the UEFA Cup, with 12 groups of four teams facing off in a round-robin format and the top two from each group qualifying for a place in the knockout phase alongside the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage.
UEFA hope the competition's new look will endear it to clubs, fans and sponsors alike, but Fulham coach Roy Hodgson made his feelings about the tournament plain by making nine changes to his side for their trip to Sofia.
"The priority is undoubtedly the Premier League," Hodgson said.
"The Europa League is a bonus - and a very nice bonus - but the Premier League is our bread and butter. No-one would thank us for reaching the Europa League quarter-finals but getting relegated."
Europa League results on Thursday:
Group A
Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) 0 Anderlecht (BEL) 2
Ajax (NED) 0 FC Timisoara (ROM) 0
Group B
Genoa (ITA) 2 Slavia Prague (CZE) 0
Lille (FRA) 1 Valencia (ESP) 1
Group C
Rapid Vienna (AUT) 3 Hamburg (GER) 0
Hapoel Tel-Aviv (ISR) 2 Celtic (SCO) 1
Group D
Hertha Berlin (GER) 1 FK Ventspils (LAT) 1
SC Heerenveen (NED) 2 Sporting Lisbon (POR) 3
Group E
Basel (SUI) 2 Roma (ITA) 0
CSKA Sofia (BUL) 1 Fulham (ENG) 1
Group F
Panathinaikos (GRE) 1 Galatasaray (TUR) 3
SK Sturm Graz (AUT) 0 Dinamo Bucharest (ROM) 1
Group G
Lazio (ITA) 1 Salzburg (AUT) 2
Villarreal (ESP) 1 Levski Sofia (BUL) 0
Group H
Steaua Bucharest (ROM) 0 Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA) 0
Fenerbahce (TUR) 1 FC Twente (NED) 2
Group I
Benfica (POR) 2 BATE Borisov (BLR) 0
Everton (ENG) 4 AEK Athens (GRE) 0
Group J
Club Brugge (BEL) 1 Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) 4
Partizan Belgrade (SRB) 2 Toulouse (FRA) 3
Group K
Sparta Prague (CZE) 2 PSV Eindhoven (NED) 2
CFR Cluj (ROM) 2 FC Copenhagen (DEN) 0
Group L
Athletic Bilbao (ESP) 3 Austria Vienna (AUT) 0
Nacional Madeira (POR) 2 Werder Bremen (GER) 3
- AFP/de
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