Summer signing Marquinhos scored on his full Arsenal debut as the Gunners beat FC Zurich 2-1 in their opening fixture of the 2022/23 UEFA Europa League.
Sixteen minutes into his full Arsenal debut, 19-year-old Marquinhos scored his first goal for the Gunners – a thumping finish at the back post after Eddie Nketiah had picked out his run with a precise cross across the 18-yard box.
However, Mikel Arteta’s team were pegged back before the break by FC Zurich. Mirlind Kryeziu scored from the spot for the Swiss side after Nketiah had clumsily brought down Ole Selnaes inside the box.
Before the second half, the players from both teams held a minute’s silence in memory of Queen Elisabeth, who passed away aged 96 while the game at Kybunpark was underway.
Nonetheless, Nketiah made amends in the second half – the forward headed in the winning goal two minutes past the hour, nodding in an inswinging, deep cross from Marquinhos at the back post.
At Old Trafford, Cristiano Ronaldo tested his luck from close and afar but to no avail in a frustrating first half for Manchester United against Spanish side Real Sociedad. Things only got worse for the Red Devils, when La Real were awarded a controversial penalty shortly after the interval, the referee adjudging Lisandro Martinez to have handled the ball inside the box off a David Silva shot.
Brais Mendez stepped up to the spot and scored the only goal of the game to hand Erik ten Hag’s team their first loss in Europe this season.
Last year’s UEFA Europa Conference League winners AS Roma visited Bulgaria to play PFC Ludogorets Razgrad, who took the surprise lead against the Romans in the 72nd minute when midfielder Cauly Souza burst through the middle of the pitch unchallenged and calmly picked his spot past goalkeeper Mile Svilar.
Eldor Shomurodov equalized for Roma in the 86th minute, heading in Lorenzo Pellegrini’s cross from the middle of the box, but parity lasted just two minutes, as Nonato slammed in his shot from inside the six-yard area at the other end to restore Ludogorets’ lead – and hand them the win.
Other big games featured wins for Real Betis, Stade Rennais, AS Monaco, SSC Lazio, and SC Freiburg, while Union Berlin lost their European opener to Union Saint-Gilloise.
