LONDON (AP) Petr Cech's league debut with Arsenal couldn't have gone much worse as the former Chelsea goalkeeper was at fault for both goals in a 2-0 home loss to West Ham on the opening weekend of the Premier League.
Bayern Munich newcomer Arturo Vidal had a better start as he scored in a German Cup win against amateur opposition.
Here is a look at Sunday's football action around Europe:
---
ENGLAND
Cech was brought in to bring stability to Arsenal's defense, but he was the weak point against West Ham. First the Czech Republic goalkeeper mistimed his rush out to clear a free kick, allowing Cheikhou Kouyate to head in the opening goal in the 43rd minute at Emirates Stadium. He was then wrong-footed as Mauro Zarate scored the second with a low shot from outside the area in the 57th.
Liverpool's start to the season was better as Philippe Coutinho fired in a fierce 25-yard strike in the 86th minute to secure a 1-0 win at Stoke, while Newcastle and new coach Steve McClaren drew 2-2 with Southampton in the day's other game.
Coutinho's goal was the highlight of the opening weekend, as the Brazilian took possession and shrugged off a challenge before unleashing a booming shot that grazed the tips of Jack Butland's gloves on its way in.
''It was a wonderful, wonderful goal,'' Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said.
---
GERMANY
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund advanced from the opening round of the German Cup, while Hamburger SV was knocked out by fourth-tier side Carl Zeiss Jena.
Bayern, the 2013 and 2014 cup winner, was made to work hard for a 3-1 win over fifth-tier Noettingen in Karlsruhe. Vidal scored from the penalty spot in the fifth minute, one minute before the Chile star was booked for a crunching tackle.
Niklas Hecht-Zirpel claimed a personal highlight in the 16th by equalizing on the rebound after Bayern `keeper Sven Ulreich parried his first effort.
But Mario Goetze cut the amateur side's celebrations short by scoring a minute later and Robert Lewandowski made it 3-1 in the 26th.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored one and set up another as Dortmund beat third-division side Chemnitzer FC 2-0.
Jena upset Hamburg 3-2 thanks to Johannes Pieles' extra-time winner.
---
FRANCE
Spurred on by Benjamin Lecomte's saves, Lorient held Lyon to a 0-0 draw in the French league after Bordeaux and Saint-Etienne started the new campaign with losses.
Lyon created the better chances but failed to take them as Nabil Fekir and Alexandre Lacazette hit the woodwork in the first half. Lacazette, the league's top scorer last season, also picked up an apparent back injury and left the pitch with four minutes left.
Earlier, Reims scored two goals in the final 10 minutes to upset Bordeaux 2-1 while Saint-Etienne lost at Toulouse by the same scoreline.
Chasing a fourth consecutive league title, Paris Saint-Germain started with a 1-0 win at Lille on Friday.
---
NETHERLANDS
Summer signing Nemanja Gudelj scored on his Eredivisie debut for Ajax in a 3-0 win at his former club AZ Alkmaar in the first round of the Dutch league, which was curtailed by a police strike.
The strike meant that five matches had to be pushed back to Tuesday or Wednesday, including defending champion PSV Eindhoven's season opener at ADO The Hague.
Ajax's match in Alkmaar went ahead despite the absence of police.
Winger Anwar El Ghazi scored his team's other two goals before limping off injured as Ajax dominated.
In the day's only other match, Willem II drew with Vitesse Arnhem 1-1 in Tilburg.
On Saturday, Dirk Kuyt scored a penalty on his return to Feyenoord in a 3-2 victory over Utrecht.
