Argentina football stars Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano have made disappointing European debuts in the UEFA Cup tournament.
Both players were on the losing end Thursday of a first-round, first-leg game as the visiting Sicilian club Palermo beat West Ham of England, 1-0. Andrea Caracciolo scored the only goal in the final minute of the first half a minute after goalkeeper Alberto Fontana had saved a volley from Tevez. West Ham must win in Palermo in two weeks to reach the lucrative group stage of European soccer's second-tier competition.
Highlighting other action, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored twice to help Ajax Amsterdam of the Netherlands beat IK Start of Norway, 5-2. Sevilla of Spain began its UEFA Cup title defense with a 2-1 victory at Atromitos of Greece.
Schalke of Germany edged the French club Nancy, 1-0. Bayer Leverkusen of Germany was held scoreless (0-0) at Sion of Switzerland. The Czech club Liberec beat Red Star Belgrade of Serbia, 2-0.
In other first-leg results Thursday (home team listed first):
Artmedia Bratislava (Slovakia) 2, Espanyol (Spain) 2
Atvidabergs (Sweden) 0, Grasshoppers (Switzerland) 3
AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) 3, Kayserispor (Turkey) 2
FC Basel (Switzerland) 6, Rabotnicki Kometal (Macedonia) 2
Besiktas (Turkey) 2, CSKA Sofia (Bulgaria) 0
Braga (Portugal) 2, Chievo (Italy) 0
Chornomorets (Ukraine) 0, Hapoel Tel-Aviv (Israel) 1
Derry City (Ireland) 0, Paris Saint-Germain (France) 0
Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) 1, Auxerre (France) 2
Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) 4, Brondby (Denmark) 0
Ethnikos Achnas (Cyprus) 0, Lens (France) 0
Fenerbahce (Turkey) 2, Randers (Denmark) 1
Hearts (Scotland) 0, Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) 2
Hertha Berlin (Germany) 2, Odense (Denmark) 2
Legia Warsaw (Poland) 1, Austria Magna (Austria) 1
Levadia Tallinn (Estonia) 0, Newcastle (England) 1
Livorno (Italy) 2, FCS Pasching (Austria) 0
Lokomotiv Moscow (Russia) 2, Zulte-Waregem (Belgium) 1
Lokomotiv Sofia (Bulgaria) 2, Feyenoord (Netherlands) 2
Maccabi Haifa (Israel) 1, Litex Lovetch (Ukraine) 1
Marseille (France) 1, Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic) 0
Molde (Norway) 0, Rangers (Scotland) 0
Panathinaikos (Greece) 1, Metallurh Zaporizhzhya (Ukraine) 1
Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) 4, FC Groningen (Netherlands) 2
Rapid Bucharest (Romania) 1, Nacional (Portugal) 0
Rubin Kazan (Russia) 0, Parma (Italy) 1
SCP Ruzomberok (Slovakia) 0, Club Brugge (Belgium) 1
Salzburg (Austria) 2, Blackburn (England) 2
Slavia Prague (Czech Republic) 0, Tottenham (England) 1
Standard Liege (Belgium) 0, Celta Vigo (Spain) 1
Trabzonspor (Turkey) 2, Osasuna (Spain) 2
Vitoria Setubal (Portugal) 0, Heerenveen (Netherlands) 3
Wisla Krakow (Poland) 0, Iraklis (Greece) 1
Xanthi (Greece) 3, Dinamo Bucharest (Romania) 4