LONDON - Beaten finalists last season, Athletic Bilbao began their 2012/13 Europa League campaign in victorious fashion as former continental champions Inter Milan and Liverpool also won.Bilbao started with five of the XI who featured from the off in May’s all-Liga showpiece against Atletico Madrid in Bucharest, but it was a lesser-known face who grabbed the headlines. Ismael Lopez, 22, scored twice on his senior debut for the Basque club as Los Leones defeated NK Slaven Koprivnica 3-1 at home.A trip to Croatia to face HNK Hajduk Split is not a task many sides would relish, but Inter left the Dalmatian coast impressive 3-0 winners. Wesley Sneijder (18) rifled the Nerazzurri in front, a lead doubled just before halftime by Yuto Nagatomo’s bobbling effort. Philippe Coutinho completed the scoring in the second half.Liverpool also prevailed on their travels, although the going was tougher than might have been expected as they overcame FC Gomel 1-0. Winger Stewart Downing hit just two goals in all competitions last season, but was the match-winner with a long-range strike in Brendan Rodgers’ first competitive fixture in charge of the Reds.
