Socceroos help maintain perfect starts in Europa League

Alessandro Circati and Daniel Arzani have played their parts in securing consecutive wins to start their respective Europa League campaigns.

Both Socceroos were Matchday Two second-half substitutes as Benfica and Ferencvaros won at home on Thursday (Friday AEDT).

Attacking midfielder Arzani went on in the 64th minute as his Hungarian club beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in Budapest, while central defender Circati entered the fray on 80 minutes as Benfica thumped Celtic 4-1 in Lisbon.

Colombia striker Jhon Duran scored with a penalty just five minutes in after being fouled by Hoops defender Dane Murray and then helped himself to a second in the 35th minute, after defender Alexander Bah had added a second midway through the first half.

Martin O'Neill's side eventually reduced the deficit in the 63rd through a brave header from Camilo Duran – who had joined up with the squad late after remaining in Glasgow for the birth of his second child – before Greek substitute Vangelis Pavlidis fired in a fourth for the hosts with two minutes remaining.

In Spain, Randal Kolo Muani scored an added-time header to give Juventus a 2-1 win at Celta Vigo which leaves them top.

Hugo Alvarez put the home side in front early on before Nick Woltemade equalised on the hour and Kolo Muani then nodded in from close range for the Italian giants.

German Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen are in second place after their 4-0 win over Lech Poznan in Poland, while AC Milan won by the same scoreline in Austria against RB Salzburg.

Benfica are third and Bournemouth fifth after the Cherries beat Sturm Graz 3-0 in the English club's first-ever European home game. Evanilson and fellow Brazilian Rayan were on target at the Vitality Stadium before Alvaro Rodriguez scored a late penalty.

Ferencvaros are eighth and Lyon ninth after the French club saw off Crystal Palace 3-2, while ninth-placed Sunderland came from behind to beat Torreense 2-1 in Portugal.

Fellow Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, meantime, routed Kauno Zalgiris 4-0 in the Conference League and former Liverpool star Mohamed Salah netted in Trabzonspor's 4-2 success in Finland over KuPS.