Martin Kelly's pass bounced into the goal off a leg of Andy Webster in the 78th minute, giving Liverpool a 1-0 win at Scotland's Hearts on Thursday night in the first leg of the final qualifying round of the Europa League.
Ryan Taylor's goal on a 45th-minute free kick helped Newcastle to a 1-1 tie at Greece's Atromitos in another playoff round match. Denis Epstein had put the hosts ahead in the 24th.
Inter Milan won 2-0 at Romania's Vaslui on goals by Esteban Cambiasso in the 23rd and Rodrigo Palacio in the 73rd. Athletic Bilbao, which lost to Atletico Madrid in last season's all-Spain final, won 6-0 at home against HJK Helsinki.
The second legs of the total-goals series are next Thursday.
Several Americans were in action.
Defender Steve Cherundolo assisted on Leon Andreasen's opening goal in the seventh minute as Hannover won 5-3 at Poland's Slask Wroclaw.
American forward Jozy Altidore played the entire match as the Netherlands' AZ Alkmaar lost 1-0 in Moscow against Russia's Anzhi Makhachkala, which got a 51st-minute goal from Lacina Traore.
U.S. forward Terrence Boyd was an 82nd-minute substitute for Rapid Vienna in a 2-1 loss at Greece's PAOK, and winger Josh Gatt played until the 82nd minute for Norway's Molde in a 2-0 home win over the Netherlands' Heerenveen. Midfielder Mix Diskerud got a yellow card for Norway's Rosenborg in a 1-1 tie at Poland's Legia Warsaw.
