Hamburg performed best of the four German sides represented in the first knockout round of the Europa League on Thursday. On home turf, the northern German side beat Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven 1-0, thanks to a penalty from German international player Marcell Jansen.

Hamburg will try to defend their lead when they travel to Eindhoven next week for the second leg.

However, the other three German sides in the competition have rather more work to do in their return fixtures, as none of them managed to win the opening match.

Werder Bremen lost 1-0 in Holland against FC Twente, and must win the return leg in Bremen to stay in the competition. Dutch midfielder Theo Janssen scored the only goal of the match.

Honors even

Bottom-of-the-Bundesliga Hertha Berlin continued their relatively strong run in European competition, securing a 1-1 draw against Portuguese side Benfica in the German capital.

Benfica took an early lead through Argentine striker Angel di Maria, but later in the first half an own goal from Spaniard Francisco Javier Garcia Fernandez leveled the score.

Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg also came away with a first leg draw, in perhaps the most exciting of the four matches.

Spanish opponents Villareal took the lead on the stroke of half time with Marcos Senna getting the hosts on the scoreboard.

In the second half, Wolfsburg's Brazilian forward Grafite got a brace of goals - one of which from the penalty spot - and a surprise away victory looked on the cards. However, Villareal's Argentine striker Marco Gaston Ruben equalized in the dying moments, and the match finished a 2-2 draw.

Wolfsburg and Hamburg are - at least on paper – the two best-placed German sides going into next week's return fixtures.

msh/dpa/Reuters
Editor: Holly Fox