Three second-half goals sent Liverpool spinning to a 3-2 defeat against Udinese in last night’s Europa League Group A match at Anfield.
Brendan Rodgers’ team led when Jonjo Shelvey headed them into a first-half lead from Stewart Downing's cross.
However, Antonio Di Natale levelled the scores for the Italian side early in the second half and a Sebastian Coates own goal and Giovanni Pasquale effort made it 3-1 before substitute Luis Suarez concluded a burst of three goals in five minutes when he reduced the deficit.
Udinese’s stunning triumph lifted them at the top of the group on four points level on points with Anzhi Makhackhala.
The Russian club yesterday were inspired by former Inter and Barcelona star Samuel Eto’o to a 2-0 win over Swiss outfit Young Boys, the Cameroon striker converting a 62nd minute penalty and doubling up on the whistle.
Tottenham, fresh from upstaging Manchester United at Old Trafford, were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Panathinaikos in their second group outing yesterday.
Spurs, flying high in fifth in the Premier League after their Old Trafford heroics, were in control of this Group J fixture against a side reeling from the sacking of their captain Kostas Katsouranis after Michael Dawson’s first half header.
But their Greek hosts battled back to scrape an unlikely draw after the break courtesy of Spanish striker Toche.
With Lazio beating Slovenian outfit Maribor 1-0, missing a penalty in the process, Spurs slipped to third place behind their Serie A rivals who had Ederson to thank for their win.
Elsewhere Lyon prevailed in a seven-goal thriller in Israel against Hapoel Kiryat Shmona, Gueida Fofana bagging the injury time winner to earn the former multiple French champions a breathless 4-3 win.
Bilbao crash
Last season’s beaten finalists Athletic Bilbao fell 3-1 at Sparta Prague, while there was joy for two Bundesliga sides as Bayer Leverkusen and Hanover prevailed against Rosenborg and Levante.
At Panathinaikos, France’s number one keeper Hugo Lloris made only his second start for Spurs in place of the rested Brad Friedel.
Lloris was one of three changes from the side that toppled United, with Dawson coming in at defence for William Gallas and made captain for the night. In midfield Tom Huddlestone replaced Sandro, who dropped to the bench.
After enjoying the bulk of possession early on Tottenham took a 35th-minute lead when Dawson headed in Huddlestone’s curling free kick at the near post.
As half-time beckoned Lloris was fortunate to get away with dropping an attempted catch from a ball coming in from the right, the £8 million signing from Lyon last month hastily making amends for his error.
After the restart Jermain Defoe had a chance to seal the game but his shot went over the bar.
On 76 minutes the Greeks stole an equaliser, against the run of play, when Toche ran onto a great through ball from Giourkas Seitaridis to round two defenders and shoot past Lloris.
That set up a nervy final quarter of an hour for the Premier League highflyers, who held on for a point, although three were in the offing.
Inter kept control of Group H with a 3-1 win in Azerbaijan against Neftchi, the goals all coming in the first half from Coutinho, Joel Obi and Marko Livaja.
PSV Eindhoven got their Europa League campaign back on track with an impressive victory at home to Napoli at the Philips Stadion.
Goals from Jeremain Lens, Dries Mertens and Antonio Marcelo lifted the Dutch side to a one-sided win as they bounced back in style from defeat to Dnipro in their Group F opener.
Results and standings
Group A: Anzhi vs Young Boys 2-0; Liverpool vs Udinese 2-3. Standings: Anzhi, Udinese 4; Liverpool 3; Young Boys 0.
Group B: Academica vs Hapoel Tel-Aviv 1-1; Atletico Madrid vs Viktoria Plzen 1-0.
Standings: Atletico Madrid 6; V. Plzen 3; Academica 1; Hapoel 1.
Group C: Marseille vs AEL Limassol 5-1; B. M’gladbach vs Fenerbahce 2-4.
Standings: Marseille, Fenerbahce 4; AEL, B. M’gladbach 1.
Group D: Bruges vs Maritimo 2-0; Newcastle vs Bordeaux 3-0. Standings: Newcastle 4; Bordeaux, Brugge 3; Maritimo1.
Group E: Molde vs Stuttgart 2-0; Steaua Bucarest vs FC Copenhagen 1-0.
Standings: S. Bucharest 4; Molde, FC Copenhagen 3; Stuttgart 1.
Group F: AIK Solna vs Dnipro 2-3; PSV vs Napoli 3-0.
Standings: Dnipro 6; Napoli, PSV 3; AIK 0.
Group G: FC Basel vs Genk 2-2; Videoton vs S. Lisbon 3-0. Standings: Genk 4; Videoton 3; Basel 2; Sporting 1.
Group H: Neftci vs Inter 1-3; Rubin vs Partizan 2-0. Standings: Inter, Rubin 4; Neftci, Partizan 1.
Group I: Hapoel KS vs Lyon 3-4; Sparta Prague vs Athletic Bilbao 3-1.
Standings: Lyon 6; S. Prague 3; Hapoel Shmona, A. Bilbao 1.
Group J: Lazio vs Maribor 1-0; Panathinaikos vs Tottenham 1-1.
Standings: Lazio 4; Maribor 3; Tottenham 2; Panathinaikos 1.
Group K: Metalist Kharkiv vs Rapid Vienna 2-0; Rosenborg vs Bayer Leverkusen 0-1. Standings: Metalist , Bayer Leverkusen 4; Rosenborg 3; Rapid Vienna 0.
Group L: Hanover vs Levante 2-1; Helsingborgs vs FC Twente 2-2.
Standings: Hannover 4; Levante 3; Twente 2; Helsinborgs 1.