AEK Athens made an impressive start to their Group G campaign with a 3-1 success against Croatian side Hajduk Split at OAKA yesterday. The scoreline flattered the Croats after AEK missed a string of late chances.

Club Brugge and PAOK FC drew 1-1 in the Group D curtain-raiser at the Jan Breydelstadion, as PAOK managed a late fight-back in Belgium.

But one of the shocks of the night was Aris’ excellent win against Europa League reigning champions Atletico Madrid.

AEK 3 – Hadjuk Split (CRO) 1

Aussie Nathan Burns was excellent again for AEK after another strong performance following from his Super League starting debut against Serres on the weekend, but Rafik Djebbour was again AEK’s best.

Dusan Bajevic’s men were given the perfect platform when Djebbour confidently fired AEK into an early lead but their fortunes took a turn for the worse as Senijad Ibricic equalised from the penalty spot and Djebbour spurned a spot kick of his own.

But the home side marched on to a thoroughly deserved win when Nikos Liberopoulos poked in after 65 minutes and Nacho Scocco (89) sealed victory.

Djebbour was in the thick of it from the off, fizzing in a shot from the edge of the area that Hajduk goalkeeper Danijel Subasic pushed over.

He found the target after 12 minutes, though, when Hrvoje Vejic slipped as he reacted to Scocco’s pass and the striker committed the keeper before sweeping into the roof of the net from close range.

But AEK then sat back and Hajduk should have levelled soon after but Anas Sharbini was denied by Giannis Arabatzis and Ivan Strinic sliced the follow-up wide.

The incident was a prelude to a host of half-chances for the visitors from Croatia and it was no surprise when they levelled on 29 minutes, Ibricic nonchalantly clipping in a penalty after an offence by Papa Bouba Diop.

Any fears of a quieter second period were dismissed inside 30 seconds when Jurica Buljat felled Djebbour in the area, but Subasic made a flying save to repel the Algerian’s penalty and maintain parity.

Marin Ljubicic cleared off the line to deny Traianos Dellas a headed goal before the Athenians finally made their second-half supremacy count.

Liberopoulos restored AEK’s advantage, prodding in after Subasic failed to hold Scocco’s drive. Scocco was not to be denied, though, breaking the offside trap to wrap up the points a minute from time.

Moments later Leonardo should have scored AEK’s fourth but fired just wide after his one-on-one attempt.

Aris Thessaloniki 1 – Atletico Madrid 0

Aris Thessaloniki has stunned Club Atletico de Madrid in the Spaniard’s UEFA Europa League title defence with a 1-0 win.

Ironically, it was a Spanish player who made the difference at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium, Javito’s superb strike just before the hour earning Aris the points.

It maintains Aris’s proud record of never having lost at home in Europe – a run now up to 22 games – and gives them an early advantage in Group B.

In a tetchy first half punctuated by bookings, neither team looked like breaking the deadlock with the hosts coming closest from the odd set piece.

Diego Forlan scored Atletico’s winning goal in the final, but he was rarely involved, firing wide from long range in the 23rd minute.

Aris’s Ricardo Faty was the first to up the ante, letting fly to get David de Gea scrambling across his goal. Atletico were behind in the 59th minute.

Javito gambled on Carlos Ruiz’s flick and, running onto the ball at an angle, the 26-year-old took it on his chest before hitting a searing left-footed shot across De Gea and into the corner.

Ten minutes later it could have been two as home captain Sergio Koke hit the post. Atletico only began to apply serious pressure late on and substitute Diego passed up their best two chances to grab a point – a stooping header beaten away by goalkeeper Michalis Sifakis before he nodded over 60 seconds later.

Club Brugge (BEL) 1 – PAOK 1

The UEFA Europa League points look destined to stay in Bruges after Dorge Kouemaha’s 61st-minute opener. That though was discounting the intervention of Stylianos Malezas in an increasingly lively game, the PAOK defender levelling with a header 12 minutes from time.

The early dominance had been Club Brugge’s and forward Ivan Perisic swung in a cross that flew over visiting goalkeeper Dario Kresic and against the angle of post and crossbar.

PAOK came into the match as the first half wore on, however, with Dimitris Salpingidis slaloming his way into the home area.

Shortly before half-time, though, the Greek side had a narrow escape as Kouemaha beat Kresic to a corner but only succeeded in heading over.

Kouemaha, Brugge’s Cameroonian striker, went even closer moments after the restart, nodding Perisic’s cross centimetres wide.

Adrie Koster’s men were turning up the pressure, and it told on the hour. Vadis Odjidja broke through midfield, Nabil Dirar continued the forward momentum and centred perfectly from the left for Kouemaha to slot in. The goal stirred opponents who, in the play-offs, eliminated Fenerbahce SK in Istanbul.

Yet for all their renewed vigour, Pavlos Dermitzakis’s charges were fortunate not to concede again. Kresic saved from Wilfried Dalmat. Then Vladimir Ivic cleared Ryan Donk’s attempt away from the goal line.

It was from a set piece at the other end that the equaliser came: Malezas flicking Vieirinha’s corner beyond the grasp of goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen. Ronald Vargas almost restored the home advantage yet his free-kick found the side netting. Equally, Stijnen twice came to Brugge’s rescue with stops from Vieirinha and Giorgos Fotakis.

PAOK’s next assignment is against NK Dinamo Zagreb on 30 September in Thessaloniki, while the Belgian club travel to Villarreal CF.