Brighton coasted to a 4-0 win over Lithuanian opponents Kauno Zalgiris to launch their Uefa Conference League bid Thursday, while Ligue 1 leaders Monaco earned a 2-1 victory at CSKA Sofia. Georginio Rutter slotted in a cutback from Ibrahim Osman as Brighton took the lead late in the first half at the Amex, with the goal awarded after a VAR review as the Ghanaian just managed to keep the ball in play. Rutter turned provider for Jack Hinshelwood as Brighton struck again on the stroke of half-time before the Frenchman netted his second of the night on 53 minutes. Matt O'Riley headed in his first goal in over a year to complete the rout and the Seagulls extended their winning run in all competitions to five matches. "I'm very happy to have two goals today, but more importantly is the three points. We are very happy to start the competition like this, we have a good side, we are in good shape at the moment, so we have to keep going," Rutter told TNT Sports. Only Barcelona and Bayern Munich have scored more than Brighton's 29 goals among clubs in Europe's biggest leagues this season. "It's not every time one player. We are a good team, everybody scores and everybody assists so I think the atmosphere of the team at the moment is very good," said Rutter. Brighton beat Norwegian side Tromso 4-0 in the play-off round in August to reach the league phase. Their only past taste of European football came when they reached the last 16 of the 2023-24 Europa League. However, they are viewed as favourites in the Conference League and will seek to become the third English winner in as many years after Chelsea and Crystal Palace. West Ham also lifted the trophy in 2023. In-form striker Paris Brunner scored for the seventh time in eight games as Monaco won in Bulgaria. The Germany Under-21 international fired Filipe Luis's team into an early lead and Ansu Fati added a second before half-time. CSKA pulled one back through Dutchman Joel Zwarts. Four-time European champions Ajax slid to a 2-1 loss at Hajduk Split, while Atalanta eased to a 3-1 victory over Pafos. Former Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was on target in Trabzonspor's 4-2 win away to Finland's KuPS Kuopio. (AFP) Edited by Cecil Wong

French club Lyon held off Crystal Palace 3-2 in the Europa League on Thursday, while Sunderland made a late comeback to break the hearts of Portuguese second-division side Torreense. Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, Benfica and Bournemouth all also won to maintain their perfect starts to the league phase. It was a painful return to his old home for Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage as the Uefa Conference League champions fell to their fourth defeat of the season in all competitions. "It's a very disappointing return because we lost. I can't take satisfaction from coming back home or seeing familiar faces when the result isn't there," Sage said. "The scoreline may have been close, but there was a big difference in the way the two teams played. We were nowhere near our usual standards in the first half." Lyon took the lead inside the opening 10 minutes through Corentin Tolisso and Ernest Nuamah then doubled Lyon's advantage two minutes into first-half injury time. Yeremy Pino halved the deficit for Palace early in the second period, but a close-range flick by Pavel Sulc restored Lyon's two-goal buffer. Daichi Kamada smashed home a second for Palace with nine minutes remaining but the hosts held out to make it two wins from two to start the league phase. Bayer Leverkusen followed up their opening 2-0 win with a 4-0 success at Polish side Lech Poznan. AC Milan cruised to a 4-0 victory at Red Bull Salzburg, courtesy of a hat-trick scored by Italian teenager Alphadjo Cisse. Club-record signing Goncalo Ramos made it four on 72 minutes before a red card for Filippo Terracciano took some of the sheen off the win for Ruben Amorim's men. In the Estadio Municipal de Leiria, Portuguese Cup winners Torreense looked set to hold their Premier League opponents to a draw until Noah Sadiki's 93rd-minute strike made it 2-1 for the visitors. The 15th-placed side in Portugal's second tier stunned Sunderland in the 37th minute as centre-half Volnei Feltes cut past a flimsy challenge and unleashed a piledriver 30 yards from goal, which left Robin Roefs rooted to the spot. Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris sent on first-team regulars Granit Xhaka and Enzo Le Fee just shy of the hour and the move paid dividends as Jules Ahoka struck shortly afterwards to level the scores. After a lengthy VAR check decided against awarding Sunderland a late penalty, Torreense must have thought they had done enough to earn a famous point until Sadiki popped up at the death to thrash in the winner. "Conceding a goal in the last minute is a blow to the chest," Torreense coach Carlos Simoes said. "The players are in the dressing room, devastated." Fellow Premier League outfit Bournemouth enjoyed a fine home debut in Europe as they eased to a 3-0 win over Sturm Graz, courtesy of goals by Evanilson, Rayan and Alvaro Rodriguez. Juventus fought from behind to emerge 2-1 victors at Celta Vigo after Newcastle loanee Nick Woltemade made it two from two in Europe to cancel out Hugo Alvarez's opener for the hosts, and Randal Kolo Muani scored an injury-time winner. Martin O'Neill's Celtic continued their difficult start to the season as they sank to a fourth defeat in their last five outings, outclassed 4-1 at Benfica. (AFP) Edited by Cecil Wong

Rams coach Sean McVay is hopeful new kicker Blake Grupe will help steady a special teams unit that struggled mightily in the team's overtime loss to the Bills.