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ISTANBUL, Turkey -- Arsenal answered its early season critics with a 3-0 victory at Fenerbahce in the first leg of their Champions League playoff Wednesday. Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud scored in the second half in front of a noisy crowd in Istanbul, plus hostile media and Gunners fans at home after an off-season of failed transfer deals for the cash-rich club. Under-fire manager Arsene Wenger now looks all but certain to lead his team into the Champions League group stage for the 16th straight season after the return match next Tuesday. The winners of the playoff matches earn a spot in the lucrative 32-team group stage. "We could have been a little bit shaky after what happened on Saturday," said Wenger, whose team lost 3-1 at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League opener. "So for us it was very important to start on the front foot. That was vital tonight for us and we did it well." Away teams dominated Wednesdays five playoff matches, as Swiss champion Basel won 4-2 in Bulgaria against Ludogorets Razgrad and Austria Vienna won 2-0 at Dinamo Zagreb. Schalke drew 1-1 at home to PAOK Thessaloniki and it was also 1-1 between Steaua Bucharest and Legia Warsaw. All the return legs are played next week. Arsenals neat passing impressed from the start, although Giroud and Ramsey spurned the teams only half-chances before the break. The visitors lost defender Laurent Koscielny to a nasty-looking kick in the face from Fenerbahce forward Pierre Webo, who was booked. Koscielny was left bleeding from an open wound and was taken to a hospital for a checkup after the match. "Its very deep, its very, very deep," Wenger said of Koscielnys wound. Yet Wengers players surged on and defender Gibbs struck in the 51st when connecting with Theo Walcotts slick pass across the goalmouth. Ramseys 22-yard shot in the 64th slipped under Fenerbahce goalkeeper Volkan Demirels diving grasp, and Walcott earned a penalty by drawing a foul from defender Michal Kadlec. Giroud fired the 77th-minute spot kick decisively to Demirels right, and Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny preserved the clean sheet with excellent late saves. ------ LONDON (AP) -- Branislav Ivanovics second-half header gave Chelsea a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Wednesday, moments after he avoided a red card in a fiery second match of the Premier League season. The right back was only booked for elbowing Christian Benteke in the head, and then sent Frank Lampards free kick into the net in the 73rd minute. "This is English football, for some reason the world loves it more than any other league -- one thing is (because of) a real aggression I would call it," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. "Another thing is duels that are handled in a certain way and I think the referee did very well. Chelsea fortuitously went in front after seven minutes when the ball inadvertently bounced off Antonio Luna into his own net. Although Chelsea faded, allowing Benteke to level in first-half stoppage time, Villa couldnt find the net again and replicate its surprise victory at Arsenal on Saturday. Instead, Ivanovic ensured Mourinhos second spell at Stamford Bridge has started with back-to-back league wins. "A draw wouldnt have been an unfair result -- they fought a lot," Mourinho said. "They created great difficulties." It was the only Premier League game played Wednesday after the match was moved forward by almost two weeks because of Europa League winner Chelseas UEFA Supercup match against Champions League winner Bayern Munich. ------ MADRID (AP) -- Brazilian recruit Neymar scored his first goal for Barcelona to secure a 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday after Lionel Messi left the field injured in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup. Atleticos David Villa enjoyed the perfect start against his former club by scoring the opening goal in the 12th minute. Villa left Barcelona following the arrival of Neymar in the off-season. Messi was replaced at halftime with a left thigh problem and Neymar went on in the 59th. Just seven minutes later, he headed in the equalizer from a pass by Dani Alves. The 21-year-old Neymar joined the Spanish champions from Brazilian club Santos for 57 million euros in June, the eighth most expensive signing in football history. And after two appearances, both as a substitute as he recovers from anemia, he has his first goal. The return leg will be played at Barcelonas Camp Nou next Wednesday after this weekends league fixtures. Moussa Diaby Jersey . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. Moussa Sissako Paris Saint-Germain Jersey . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7pm et. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. http://www.parissaintgermainfcstore.com/Women-Stanley-Nsoki-Paris-Saint-Germain-Jersey/ . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. Kevin Trapp Paris Saint-Germain Jersey . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. Adrien Rabiot Jersey . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Minimizing turnovers fueled West Virginias unbeaten start. Coughing up the ball ended it.Quarterback Skyler Howard was responsible for all three of the Mountaineers turnovers last week that allowed Oklahoma State to score 17 points in the Cowboys 37-20 win.One loss on the road halted weeks of momentum that had thrust the Mountaineers into the national conversation after starting the season unranked.With a conference title very much up for grabs, No. 14 West Virginia (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) has a chance to replenish its confidence at home against Kansas (1-7, 0-5) on Saturday before embarking on a tough four-week stretch to finish the regular season.While playing the Jayhawks might seem like a breather compared to what lies ahead, including games against No. 12 Oklahoma and No. 13 Baylor, coach Dana Holgorsen wont put up with anything but his teams best preparations to play a last-place team.If you pin your whole season off of one loss, then theres going to be 99 percent disappointed people across the country. Its college football, Holgorsen said. It happens. What you have to do is you have to use it as motivation to go out there and practice harder, prepare harder.The offenses struggles against Oklahoma State were a bit of a surprise. West Virginia had no turnovers in its two previous games and Howard had previously thrown four interceptions all season.All three turnovers Saturday ended up giving Oklahoma State the ball inside West Virginias 20, although one of his interceptions bounced off a receivers hands.West Virginias veteran offensive line has allowwed nine sacks in its last two games.dddddddddddd Holgorsen blamed some of those on Howard. His second-quarter fumble against the Cowboys came as he was in the grasp of Vincent Taylor, who had gotten around guard Grant Lingafelter.Offensive line coach Ron Crook wants his linemen to finish blocks better. And Holgorsen wants his quarterback to protect the football, keep his eyes downfield not try to shoulder the responsibilities of an entire offense.Nobody has higher expectations for him than him, Holgorsen said. He probably needs to reduce a little pressure that he puts on himself and go out there and just play the game. Thats a good quality that he has. Its our job to make sure those dont get too high for him.Center Tyler Orlosky said he expects Howard to bounce back quickly.Hes a competitor, Orlosky said. Hes a guy that is going to come out this week I think in practice and be that leader we need. Hell get guys going and hell be focused and hell be locked in.Howard said getting ready for heavy underdog Kansas will be no different than other games. He said whats different is outsiders perceptions of playing Kansas or FCS Youngstown State earlier this season.People thought, obviously, that we have Youngstown this week, were OK. We dont have to practice as hard. We dont have to do the little things, he said. And thats not the truth. You do have to do the little things.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '