LIVERPOOL, England -- Teen sensation Robbie Fowler has scored one of the fastest hat tricks in English soccer history to lift Liverpool to a 3-0 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League.


The 19-year-old striker netted Sunday in the 26th, 28th and 31st minutes as surprising Liverpool, picked to finish in the pack in the 22-team league, cruised to its second easy victory in as many games.


Fowler's hat trick was timed at 4 minutes, 33 seconds. The fastest ever recorded in England's top division was John McIntyre's three goals in three minutes for Blackburn in 1922, a feat matched by Graham Leggat for Fulham in 1963.


Arsenal, favored to be a contender for the title, lost for the second time in three games. The Gunners, with three points, remained in 14th place, while Liverpool, with six points, improved to fifth.


Fowler's first of the game came when Jamie Redknapp's free kick from the right side bounced off teammate Ian Rush's shins. Fowler pounced on the ball and drove left-footed past goalkeeper David Seaman from 10 yards.


Two minutes later, Liverpool had a three-on-two break led by Steve McManaman, who advanced to the edge of the box. With fullback Lee Dixon drawn inside, McManaman slipped the ball to the left to Fowler, who threaded the shot between Dixon and Seaman and just inside the right post.


The third came when Fowler ran onto John Barnes' chip pass and had a clear run at the goal. Seaman went to the turf to block the first effort, but defender Martin Keown rushed across and inadvertently turned the ball back toward the goal, where Fowler tapped it in.


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Top FC Porto midfielder Rui Filipe died Sunday in a car accident near the Portuguese city of Oporto.


Filipe, 26, who had been driving with his girlfriend and another couple, was killed when his Rover sedan skidded off the highway at a curve and slammed into dividing barrier. The other three passengers were slightly injured and were hospitalized for observation.


Filipe -- a Portuguese national team regular and considered one of Robson's key players for 1994 -- had not been slated for Sunday's scheduled game against Beira-Mar because of a red-card suspension received in a match last week.


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A police officer and a spectator were in hospital with serious head injuries after rioting by soccer fans on the opening day of the Greek season Sunday.


Another 18 people were treated at the hospital in the northern Greek town of Drama after rival fans hurled stones at each other during a match between Olympiakos and local team Doxa. Police said the fighting continued after the end of the match in the streets around the stadium as fans clashed with riot police.


Olympiakos won the match 1-0.


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Brazilian international Bebeto has won his release from Spanish club Deportivo Coruna with an initial agreement allowing him to return to Brazil.


His exit leaves last season's first division runners-up lacking two of their star players.


Mauro Silva, another member of Brazil's victorious World Cup side, will be sidelined for up to four months because of a knee injury.


The deal stipulates Bebeto must play in Brazil, and if he signs for another European club he will have to pay the remainder of the $15 million stipulated in the release clause on his contract. (AP, Reuters)