Northern Ireland’s Linfield suffered a 3-0 defeat at Cypriot champions AEL Limassol in the first leg of their second-round Champions League qualifier.

Linfield, who got this far by beating Faroe Islands side B36 Torshavn on penalties, went behind after Ivorian forward Patrick Vouho rounded keeper Alan Blayney just after the quarter-hour.

The multi-national Cypriot side doubled their advantage on the half-hour when Rwanda defender Edwin Ouon headed in a corner – he had also seen a fourth-minute goal disallowed.

English-born Ghana forward Chris Dickson – formerly of Charlton Athletic – added a third in the second half, having created the opener.

The return leg is scheduled for next Tuesday at Windsor Park in Belfast with the kick-off set for 9.45pm.

In other matches on Wednesday, Vitali Rodionov scored two injury-time goals as BATE Borisov of Belarus claimed a thrilling 3-2 home win against Macedonia’s Vardar, Bulgaria’s Ludogorets drew 1-1 at home to Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb, and Slovenia’s Maribor thrashed Bosnia’s Zeljeznicar 4-1.

Two games are still in progress: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Molde are at home to Latvia’s Ventspils, while Montenegrin side Buducnost host Poland’s Slask Wroclaw.