MARQUINHOS kicked off his Arsenal career in style as he scored one goal and set up another in his team’s 2-1 win at FC Zurich in their Europa League Group A opener on Thursday.
The 19-year-old Brazilian, who joined from Sao Paulo in the close season, opened the scoring and set up Eddie Nketiah for the winner after Mirling Kryeziu’s equaliser with a penalty.
In the group’s other match, PSV Eindhoven got off to a mediocre start as they were held 1-1 at home by Bodo/Glimt while AS Roma, who won the Europa Conference League last season, slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Ludogorets in Group C.
Jose Mourinho’s side had levelled in the 86th minute through substitute Eldor Shomurodov, only for Brazilian Nonato to add a second for the hosts two minutes later.
Real Betis claimed a 2-0 win at HJK Helsinki with a Willian Jose double in the group’s other match.
Elsewhere, the Nice v Cologne Europa Conference League match kick-off was delayed by almost an hour after crowd trouble erupted at the Allianz Arena.
There was a minute’s silence before the second half of Arsenal’s game against Zurich in Switzerland as the stadium screen showed a picture of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, who died earlier on Thursday.
A reshuffled Gunners side took an early lead when Nketiah sent the ball across for Marquinhos, who fired into the top corner at the end of a swift counter attack after 16 minutes.
The Londoners continued to dominate but the hosts weathered the storm and levelled on the stroke of halftime, Kryeziu coolly converting a penalty after Nketiah brought down Fidan Aliti.
Nketiah made up for his mistake in the 62nd minute by heading home from Marquinhos’s cross to give the Premier League leaders a deserved three points.
Later on Thursday, Manchester United will be looking to follow up on their 3-1 victory against Arsenal at Old Trafford last weekend when they welcome Real Sociedad in Group E. –Reuters
