Slow start for Žilina

Slow start
Slovakian champions MŠK Žilina are bottom of the Superliga and still waiting for their first win of the campaign after a 2-0 away defeat by FK Laugaricio Trencín, the new leaders. Žilina, champions in the last two seasons, kicked off with four draws before losing 2-0 at home against Chelsea FC in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.

Winning run
One of last season's surprise packages in the Champions League, FC Basel, continued their impressive start - the Swiss league leaders winning 4-0 at FC Thun to record a sixth straight victory. Argentinian striker Christian Giménez scored a hat-trick as Christian Gross's side moved on to a maximum 18 points, six points clear of the pack.

Grasshoppers off the pace
Elsewhere in Switzerland, BSC Young Boys stayed second despite a 3-1 away defeat by FC Aarau, while champions Grasshopper-Club are eleven points behind Basel in sixth place despite a 1-0 derby success against FC Zürich.

Brno boosted
Czech side 1. FC Brno have also begun brightly, their 2-1 home win against FK Viktoria Zizkov giving the First Division leaders a maximum 12 points from four games. But SK Slavia Praha suffered a first seasonal defeat with youngster Petr Knakal scoring the decisive goal as FC Viktoria Plzen came from behind to win 2-1.

Sixth straight win
Meanwhile, Finnish Veikkausliiga leaders FC Haka recorded a sixth successive victory - 2-0 at FF Jaro 2-0 - to stretch their advantage over nearest rivals Tampere United to nine points.

Champions fight back
Two of the title favourites met in Austria, with SK Rapid Wien surrendering a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home against neighbours and champions FK Austria Wien. A Frank Verlaat own goal and a second from Jovica Vico seemed to have put the home side in control, but two goals in three minutes from Sigurd Rushfeld and Verlaat brought Austria level.

GAK closing in
Rapid remained top of the table with 13 points from five matches, but Grazer AK moved to within a point of the leaders after a 5-1 home victory against FC Kärnten.

Honours even
There was more derby action in Romania, with AFC Rapid Bucuresti and FC Steaua Bucuresti drawing 1-1 at the National stadium. Valentin Badoi opened the scoring for Rapid a minute past the hour with a well-placed shot, but Steaua's Adrian Pitu equalised ten minutes later with a header from a corner.

Derby drama
In Demark, an extraordinary Jutland derby saw AGF Århus defeat FC Midtjylland 5-3, while leaders Brøndby IF lost a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 at Viborg FF. Esbjerg fB went second after a 4-2 victory at Akademisk Boldklub and champions FC København edged out FC Nordsjælland 2-1.

Contrasting wins
FCK's Champions League opponents Rangers FC won 3-2 at Aberdeen FC, while Glasgow rivals Celtic FC thrashed visitors Dundee United FC 5-0. Hibernian FC moved second after a late Garry O'Connor goal earned a 1-0 success against Heart of Midlothian FC in the Edinburgh derby.