Liverpool put its Europa League campaign back on track with a victory over big-spending Anzhi Makhachkala 1-0 on Thursday, and Inter Milan broke through Partizan Belgrade’s resistance late to win by the same score.
Stewart Downing scored a rare goal at the start of the second half from outside the penalty area for Liverpool.
“It was brilliant goal,” Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. “He’s had a rough ride here really. It’s been difficult time for him, but he got a great round of applause from the Kop and if you can get that from the Kop then it’ll give you a massive lift going forward.”
The five-time winners of the more illustrious European Cup had lost two of their three matches in the Europa League but are now top of Group A.
Liverpool has a two-point lead over Anzhi and Udinese, which lost 3-1 at last-place Young Boys.
In Milan, Inter took until the 88th minute to break the deadlock with Rodrigo Palacio’s header winning the clash with Partizan Belgrade.