Downing strike gives Liverpool edge

The Premier League side's victory came thanks to a second-half strike from Stewart Downing.

Inter Milan eased to a 3-0 first-leg win over Hajduk Split thanks to first-half strikes from Wesley Sneijder and Yuto Nagatomo, while substitute Coutinho completed the scoring in the 73rd minute.

Last season's finalist Athletic Bilbao survived a first-half scare to beat Slaven Koprivnica 3-1 at the San Mames.

Ismael Lopez gave the host a 16th-minute lead at the San Mames before Mateas Delic replied three minutes later for the Croatian side.

Markel Susaeta put his side back into the lead a minute later before Lopez was on hand to seal the win after 68 minutes.

Elsewhere, French side Marseille could only draw 1-1 with Turkish outfit Eskisehirspor. The Ligue 1 side took the lead early in the second half through André-Pierre Gignac before Atdhe Nuhiu equalised after 62 minutes for the host.

Aleksandr Kokorin's strike deep into injury-time ensured that Dinamo Moscow rescued a 2-2 draw against Dundee United at Tannadice.

Willo Flood gave the home side a first-half lead before Igor Semshov equalised. Keith Watson netted what seemed to be the winner with 14 minutes left before Kokornin scored in the 93rd minute.

St Patrick's looks to be heading out after goals from Leon Andreasen, Christian Pander and Didier Konan Ya won the game for Hannover.

Heerenveen was the night's biggest winner - defeating visitor Rapid Bucharest 4-0, while last season's UEFA Champions League quarter-finalist, Apoel Nicosia, needed an 80th-minute goal from substitute Efstathios Aloneftis to seal a narrow 2-1 home win over Norway's Aalesund.