Everton win at home while Fulham draw in Bulgaria

The two British clubs left in the Europa League began the group stage of the revamped competition yesterday, and both Everton and Fulham will be happy enough with their respective results on a night that saw the trial run of a Uefa scheme which put six referees on duty at every game (the two additional officials were patrolling the goal lines at both ends).

Everton strolled to a 4-0 victory over a desperately poor AEK Athens of Greece, thanks to goals from Joseph Yobo, Distin, Pienaar and Jo, a result which will give manager David Moyes some breathing space as he attempts to sort out the malaise at Goodison Park that has seen the Toffeemen record just three points from four games in the Premier League.

The game was done and dusted within 20 minutes, after the unmarked defender Yobo headed home from a corner within 10 minutes. Seven minutes later Sylvain Distin doubled the advantage, poking home a rebound after another well-delivered corner. Steven Pienaar's unstoppable 25-year shot meant the home side went in three goals to the good.

The second half allowed Moyes to shuffle his pack, bringing on Yakubu, Osman and Saha, and finally the impressive Brazilian Jo got on the scoresheet in the last ten minutes. The only sour note for Everton was the last dismissal of Louis Saha for hitting out at an AEK defender.

Where Moyes had the luxury of fielding recognised names from his bench, Roy Hodgson took a gamble for Fulham's away encounter with the Bulgarian champions CSKA Sofia, putting out only ten starters from Sunday's 2-1 Premier League win over Everton - David Stockdale and John Pantsil - and a bench without a Premier League appearance on it.

But the well-organised west Londoners took the sting out of a fiery first half, and should really have gone in ahead after the best chance of the first half fell to Welsh international midfielder Simon Davies minutes before the interval.

CSKA came out for the second half with real vim to their play, and set the tempo after a couple of substitutions brought some Brazilian flair to the game. The gloriously named Michel Platini scored on 62 minutes after a beautiful pass by compatriot Marquinhos set him up, but the lead only lasted three minutes.

Diomansy Kamara, playing to stave off a move to Championship side Newcastle, was put through by Erik Nevland, and the French striker rounded the keeper to shoot home. Fulham held off a late flurry from Sofia to return from eastern Europe with a very well-earned point. ·