HARRY Kewell's glancing header saw Galatasaray's UEFA Cup Group B campaign off to a winning start with a narrow 1-0 victory over Olympiacos in a closely-contested clash in Istanbul.
Kewell's goal was enough to give Michael Skibbe's Turkish champions all three points.
Both teams went into the Group B fixture desperate to make amends for recent European disappointment - having lost in the Champions League qualifiers - and it was the hosts who took the early initiative, pressing and probing with former Leeds man Kewell prominent.
The first clear chance of the game came after 20 minutes when Arda Turan headed wide from Lincoln's left-wing corner. Then, two minutes later Kewell dragged a snapshot wide when well placed inside the penalty area.
The Turks continued to press and Sabri Sarioglu tested Nikopolidis with a powerful long-range drive which the visiting keeper parried for a corner.
The deadlock was then broken from the resulting corner in the 26th minute and Kewell was the man on target, evading his marker Didier Domi at the near post before glancing a downward header past Nikopolidis from another Lincoln corner.
Despite the occasional rampaging run from Vasilis Torosidis down the right, Olympiacos struggled to gain meaningful possession and Diogo looked an isolated figure with little service coming from Argentinian duo Luciano Galletti and Fernando Belluschi.
Galletti had a decent opportunity to get his team back into the game on the stroke of half-time but he fired his free-kick into the wall.
The hosts continued to threaten the Olympiacos goal in the second half, with Anastasios Pantos clearing off the line from Baros before Lincoln blasted the rebound over the crossbar from close range.
Lincoln should have added to the scoreline but was thwarted by Nikopolidis and then the crossbar.
Olympiacos substitute Darko Kovacevic had a golden chance to equalise for the Greeks but he headed Fernando Belluschi's free-kick inches wide.
It was then Diogo's turn to miss as the Brazilian headed agonisingly wide from a Torosidis long ball as Galatasaray held to to claim the win.
Gareth Barry gave Aston Villa the ideal start to life in a bitterly tough group stage of this season's UEFA Cup with a 2-1 win over Ajax.
With tricky trips to Hamburg and Slavia Prague to come in Group F, boss Martin O'Neill came into the competition aware his side could ill afford to drop points at Villa Park.
Against the Dutch giant, this was a convincing victory, with Barry's winner coming on the stroke of half-time after Thomas Vermaelen had cancelled out home captain Martin Laursen's early opener.
CSKA Moscow, Schalke and Hamburg emerged victorious from the three early kick-offs in Thursday's first round of group matches.
Two goals in the space of three first-half minutes from young midfielder Alan Dzagoev paved the way for CSKA to post a 3-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna and secure a perfect start to its Group H campaign.
Nine goals in his past 10 league games earned Dzagoev a call-up to Guus Hiddink's Russia squad and it took the 18-year-old just nine minutes to add to his rising stock when he smashed in a free-kick.
He notched a second three minutes later from close range following some excellent lead-up work from Vagner Love, who completed the scoring with a goal of his own just after the hour mark.
Schalke began Group A with a 3-1 triumph over Paris St Germain.
The hosts took the lead in the 12th minute courtesy of an own goal by PSG defender Larrys Mabiala.
Kevin Kuranyi made it 2-0 after 39 minutes and then set up the third for Halil Altintop 21 minutes from time.
Clement Chantome hit a late consolation goal for the visitors, who were without the likes of Claude Makelele and Ludovic Giuly.
The Royal Blues' Bundesliga rivals Hamburg also picked up three points in Group F, edging Zilina 2-1 in Slovakia.
A viral infection forced Mladen Petric out of Sunday's 1-1 draw with Schalke, but the Croatia forward, who has scored three Bundesliga goals in two starts this season, returned to the starting line-up and within 15 minutes the forward had given Hamburg the lead.
Ivica Olic added a second before half-time as Hamburg secured an important win despite substitute Emil Rilke's second-half strike for Zilina.
In Udine, Heurelho Gomes' blunder set Udinese on its way to a 2-0 victory as Tottenham's miserable start to the season continued.
Gomes' mistake was punished by an Antonio Di Natale penalty and Simone Pepe added a late second after Spurs had played the majority of the second half with 10 men following the dismissal of midfielder Jamie O'Hara.
Romano Denneboom scored the only goal as FC Twente clinched a home victory against Racing Santander.
The Dutch striker latched onto Kenneth Perez's cross in the fifth minute to give the Eredivisie side all three points in its first Group A clash at the Grolsch Veste stadium.
Hertha Berlin fought back to register a hard-earned point in a 1-1 draw against Benfica in Group B. The Portuguese champions went ahead after 51 minutes through Angel di Maria but Hertha equalised 16 minutes from time through Marko Pantelic.
AC Milan got its Group E adventure off to the best possible start with a comfortable 3-1 win over Dutch side Heerenveen.
An own goal from Heerenveen midfielder Calvin Jong-a-Pin after 19 minutes set Milan on their way before goals from Gennaro Gattuso and Filippo Inzaghi put the Italians out of sight.
Danijel Pranjic added a late consolation goal for the hosts from the penalty spot.
Sevilla began its campaign with a 2-0 win over Stuttgart in Group C.
Goals from Romaric and Renato Dirnei in the 15th and 16th minutes were enough to set the 2006 and 2007 champions on their way to the three points.
St Etienne celebrated its return to European action after a 26-year absence by beating FC Copenhagen 3-1 in Group G.
In a dramatic opening, Morten Nordstrand missed a penalty for the hosts just a minute after Bafetimbi Gomis had put St Etienne in front.
Loic Perrin added a second for the visitors in the 37th minute and, though Cesar Santin's penalty reduced the arrears just before the hour, Dimitri Payet's strike sealed the win for the French side.
Dinamo Zagreb deservedly edged out NEC Nijmegen 3-2 in Group D.
Mario Mandzukic gave Dinamo the lead after just three minutes but a Carlos own goal evened things up midway through the first half.
Theo Janssen struck to put NEC ahead with 12 minutes remaining before goals from substitute Bosko Balaban and Ivica Vrdoljak sealed the points for the Croatians.
Nancy struck three second-half goals to down Feyenoord in Group H.
Nancy entered the game low on confidence having managed just one win in nine Ligue 1 games to start the season and was second best for the majority of the opening half as Feyenoord piled on the pressure.
But the visitors failed to find the net and were made to pay when first Julien Feret and then Monsef Zerka struck inside eight minutes of the restart.
Maurilio Helder added a third after 84 minutes.
Sampdoria recorded a 2-1 victory at Partizan Belgrade in Group C.
Partizan's Lamine Diarra had cancelled out Emiliano Bonazzoli's opener for Samp but Daniele Dessena's second-half strike gave the visitors a vital win.
In Group G, Rosenborg was held to a disappointing home draw against Belgian outfit Club Brugge.
Group A
Schalke 3
Mabiala 12og, Kuranyi 39, Altintop 69
Paris S.G. 1
Chantome 90
FC Twente Enschede 1
Denneboom 6
Racing Santander 0
Group B
Galatasaray 1
Kewell 25
Olympiakos Piraeus 0
Hertha BSC 1
Pantelic 74
Benfica 1
Maria 51
Group C
Sevilla 2
Romaric 15, Renato 16
Stuttgart 0
Partizan Belgrade 1
Diarra 34
Sampdoria 2
Bonazzoli 20, Dessena 55
Group D
Udinese 2
Natale 24p, Pepe 86
Tottenham H. 0
Dinamo Zagreb 3
Mandzukic 3, Balaban 81, Vrdoljak 84
NEC Nijmegen 2
Carlos 23og, Janssen 78
Group E
SC Heerenveen 1
Pranjic 85p
AC Milan 3
Jong-a-Pin 19og, Gattuso 23, Inzaghi 69
Braga 3
Aguiar 8, Cuesta 46, Alan 87
Portsmouth 0
Group F
Zilina 1
Rilke 69
Hamburger SV 2
Petric 15, Olic 44
Aston Villa 2
Laursen 8, Barry 45
Ajax Amsterdam 1
Vermaelen 22
Group G
FC Copenhagen 1
Santin 59p
Saint-Etienne 3
Gomis 2, Perrin 37, Payet 65
Rosenborg 0
Club Brugge 0
Group H
CSKA Moscow 3
Dzagoev 9, 12, Love 60
Deportivo La Coruna 0
Nancy 3
Zerka 48, Feret 54, Helder 85
Feyenoord Rotterdam 0
Both teams went into the Group B fixture desperate to make amends for recent European disappointment - having lost in the Champions League qualifiers - and it was the hosts who took the early initiative, pressing and probing with former Leeds man Kewell prominent.
The first clear chance of the game came after 20 minutes when Arda Turan headed wide from Lincoln's left-wing corner. Then, two minutes later Kewell dragged a snapshot wide when well placed inside the penalty area.
The Turks continued to press and Sabri Sarioglu tested Nikopolidis with a powerful long-range drive which the visiting keeper parried for a corner.
The deadlock was then broken from the resulting corner in the 26th minute and Kewell was the man on target, evading his marker Didier Domi at the near post before glancing a downward header past Nikopolidis from another Lincoln corner.
Despite the occasional rampaging run from Vasilis Torosidis down the right, Olympiacos struggled to gain meaningful possession and Diogo looked an isolated figure with little service coming from Argentinian duo Luciano Galletti and Fernando Belluschi.
Galletti had a decent opportunity to get his team back into the game on the stroke of half-time but he fired his free-kick into the wall.
The hosts continued to threaten the Olympiacos goal in the second half, with Anastasios Pantos clearing off the line from Baros before Lincoln blasted the rebound over the crossbar from close range.
Lincoln should have added to the scoreline but was thwarted by Nikopolidis and then the crossbar.
Olympiacos substitute Darko Kovacevic had a golden chance to equalise for the Greeks but he headed Fernando Belluschi's free-kick inches wide.
It was then Diogo's turn to miss as the Brazilian headed agonisingly wide from a Torosidis long ball as Galatasaray held to to claim the win.
Gareth Barry gave Aston Villa the ideal start to life in a bitterly tough group stage of this season's UEFA Cup with a 2-1 win over Ajax.
With tricky trips to Hamburg and Slavia Prague to come in Group F, boss Martin O'Neill came into the competition aware his side could ill afford to drop points at Villa Park.
Against the Dutch giant, this was a convincing victory, with Barry's winner coming on the stroke of half-time after Thomas Vermaelen had cancelled out home captain Martin Laursen's early opener.
CSKA Moscow, Schalke and Hamburg emerged victorious from the three early kick-offs in Thursday's first round of group matches.
Two goals in the space of three first-half minutes from young midfielder Alan Dzagoev paved the way for CSKA to post a 3-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna and secure a perfect start to its Group H campaign.
Nine goals in his past 10 league games earned Dzagoev a call-up to Guus Hiddink's Russia squad and it took the 18-year-old just nine minutes to add to his rising stock when he smashed in a free-kick.
He notched a second three minutes later from close range following some excellent lead-up work from Vagner Love, who completed the scoring with a goal of his own just after the hour mark.
Schalke began Group A with a 3-1 triumph over Paris St Germain.
The hosts took the lead in the 12th minute courtesy of an own goal by PSG defender Larrys Mabiala.
Kevin Kuranyi made it 2-0 after 39 minutes and then set up the third for Halil Altintop 21 minutes from time.
Clement Chantome hit a late consolation goal for the visitors, who were without the likes of Claude Makelele and Ludovic Giuly.
The Royal Blues' Bundesliga rivals Hamburg also picked up three points in Group F, edging Zilina 2-1 in Slovakia.
A viral infection forced Mladen Petric out of Sunday's 1-1 draw with Schalke, but the Croatia forward, who has scored three Bundesliga goals in two starts this season, returned to the starting line-up and within 15 minutes the forward had given Hamburg the lead.
Ivica Olic added a second before half-time as Hamburg secured an important win despite substitute Emil Rilke's second-half strike for Zilina.
In Udine, Heurelho Gomes' blunder set Udinese on its way to a 2-0 victory as Tottenham's miserable start to the season continued.
Gomes' mistake was punished by an Antonio Di Natale penalty and Simone Pepe added a late second after Spurs had played the majority of the second half with 10 men following the dismissal of midfielder Jamie O'Hara.
Romano Denneboom scored the only goal as FC Twente clinched a home victory against Racing Santander.
The Dutch striker latched onto Kenneth Perez's cross in the fifth minute to give the Eredivisie side all three points in its first Group A clash at the Grolsch Veste stadium.
Hertha Berlin fought back to register a hard-earned point in a 1-1 draw against Benfica in Group B. The Portuguese champions went ahead after 51 minutes through Angel di Maria but Hertha equalised 16 minutes from time through Marko Pantelic.
AC Milan got its Group E adventure off to the best possible start with a comfortable 3-1 win over Dutch side Heerenveen.
An own goal from Heerenveen midfielder Calvin Jong-a-Pin after 19 minutes set Milan on their way before goals from Gennaro Gattuso and Filippo Inzaghi put the Italians out of sight.
Danijel Pranjic added a late consolation goal for the hosts from the penalty spot.
Sevilla began its campaign with a 2-0 win over Stuttgart in Group C.
Goals from Romaric and Renato Dirnei in the 15th and 16th minutes were enough to set the 2006 and 2007 champions on their way to the three points.
St Etienne celebrated its return to European action after a 26-year absence by beating FC Copenhagen 3-1 in Group G.
In a dramatic opening, Morten Nordstrand missed a penalty for the hosts just a minute after Bafetimbi Gomis had put St Etienne in front.
Loic Perrin added a second for the visitors in the 37th minute and, though Cesar Santin's penalty reduced the arrears just before the hour, Dimitri Payet's strike sealed the win for the French side.
Dinamo Zagreb deservedly edged out NEC Nijmegen 3-2 in Group D.
Mario Mandzukic gave Dinamo the lead after just three minutes but a Carlos own goal evened things up midway through the first half.
Theo Janssen struck to put NEC ahead with 12 minutes remaining before goals from substitute Bosko Balaban and Ivica Vrdoljak sealed the points for the Croatians.
Nancy struck three second-half goals to down Feyenoord in Group H.
Nancy entered the game low on confidence having managed just one win in nine Ligue 1 games to start the season and was second best for the majority of the opening half as Feyenoord piled on the pressure.
But the visitors failed to find the net and were made to pay when first Julien Feret and then Monsef Zerka struck inside eight minutes of the restart.
Maurilio Helder added a third after 84 minutes.
Sampdoria recorded a 2-1 victory at Partizan Belgrade in Group C.
Partizan's Lamine Diarra had cancelled out Emiliano Bonazzoli's opener for Samp but Daniele Dessena's second-half strike gave the visitors a vital win.
In Group G, Rosenborg was held to a disappointing home draw against Belgian outfit Club Brugge.
Group A
Schalke 3
Mabiala 12og, Kuranyi 39, Altintop 69
Paris S.G. 1
Chantome 90
FC Twente Enschede 1
Denneboom 6
Racing Santander 0
Group B
Galatasaray 1
Kewell 25
Olympiakos Piraeus 0
Hertha BSC 1
Pantelic 74
Benfica 1
Maria 51
Group C
Sevilla 2
Romaric 15, Renato 16
Stuttgart 0
Partizan Belgrade 1
Diarra 34
Sampdoria 2
Bonazzoli 20, Dessena 55
Group D
Udinese 2
Natale 24p, Pepe 86
Tottenham H. 0
Dinamo Zagreb 3
Mandzukic 3, Balaban 81, Vrdoljak 84
NEC Nijmegen 2
Carlos 23og, Janssen 78
Group E
SC Heerenveen 1
Pranjic 85p
AC Milan 3
Jong-a-Pin 19og, Gattuso 23, Inzaghi 69
Braga 3
Aguiar 8, Cuesta 46, Alan 87
Portsmouth 0
Group F
Zilina 1
Rilke 69
Hamburger SV 2
Petric 15, Olic 44
Aston Villa 2
Laursen 8, Barry 45
Ajax Amsterdam 1
Vermaelen 22
Group G
FC Copenhagen 1
Santin 59p
Saint-Etienne 3
Gomis 2, Perrin 37, Payet 65
Rosenborg 0
Club Brugge 0
Group H
CSKA Moscow 3
Dzagoev 9, 12, Love 60
Deportivo La Coruna 0
Nancy 3
Zerka 48, Feret 54, Helder 85
Feyenoord Rotterdam 0
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