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Liverpool came from behind to defeat LASK of Austria by 3-1 to kick start their campaign in this season’s Europa cup on a good note.
Goals from Darwin Nunez, Luiz Daiz and Mohammed Salah ensured the English side secured all three points in the encounter.
However, Brighton’s eagerly awaited European bow fell flat as Greek heavyweights AEK Athens stunned Roberto de Zerbi’s men with a 3-2 Europa League group stage victory at the American Express Stadium.
The Seagulls twice pegged AEK back after Djibril Sidibe and Mijat Gacinovic had taken advantage of Lewis Dunk’s absence through injury to score from first-half set pieces.
But, even with 13 minutes’ injury-time, Brighton had no answer after substitute Ezequiel Ponce converted a third after 84 minutes.
Niclas Eliasson was given too much time to cross after Tariq Lamptey had slipped as AEK launched a speedy counter-attack, Ponce applying the finish.
In Germany, Red hot Nigerian forward, Victor Boniface scored a goal and also provided an assist in the dominant display for his German side Bayern Leverkusen as the secure their biggest win of the night in the Europa League on Thursday as they walloped Hacken 4-0.
Elsewhere in Switzerland, another Nigerian, Igoh Ogbu, also had a good outing as he scored the second goal for Slavia Prague in their 2-0 win over Servette.
Lukas Masopust scored the opener for the visiting Slavia Prague in the 32nd minute. Then Ogbu struck the second for the Czech side in the 59th minute.
The 23-year-old midfielder played the entire 90 minutes for his side.
Another Nigerian star, Ademola Lookman, was on the winning side as Atalanta pipped Rakow Czestochowa 2-0. Lookman featured for 76 minutes before he was replaced by Mario Pasalic
Liverpool took time adjusting to life back in the Europa League but for the fourth time in six matches this season, they came from behind to win 3-1 against LASK in Linz.
The situation was similar in London where West Ham also came from behind to beat TSC Backa Topola 3-1.
In some of the other results from Thursday’s Europa League games, Roma secured a 2-1 win away to FCSheriff while Ajax and Marseille played out a pulsating 3-3 draw at the Johan Cruyff arena.