Arsenal extend impressive Europa League away record with opening win
Zurich 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal defeated FC Zurich 2-1 in Switzerland to extend their unbeaten run in UEFA Europa League (UEL) group stage away fixtures to ten games (W8, D2).
FC Zurich were the first to go close as Matt Turner’s outward pass was intercepted before Aiyegun Tosin went close from a tight angle, but Gabriel was on hand to turn it behind.
The Gunners started to find their feet as the first half went on, and another chance came and went when Granit Xhaka’s cross fell to the feet of Marquinhos, but his first-time shot flew over. However, Arsenal then took the lead from a devastating counterattack just a few moments later, as Fabio Vieira set Eddie Nketiah free and he squared the ball to Marquinhos and the nineteen-year-old debutant scored his first goal for Arsenal.
Arsenal almost doubled their lead when Albert Sambi Lokonga sent through Vieira but his audacious lobbed effort cleared the crossbar. There was always a sense that Arsenal might pay dearly for failing to double their advantage, and Zurich duly equalised on the brink of halftime when they were given a penalty as Nketiah was adjudged to have brought down Selnaes. Mirlind Kryeziu stepped up and sent Turner the wrong way and levelled the score.
The Gunners came out for the second half full of energy and attacking intent, and Nketiah went close to righting his wrongs just after the break, as his curled effort from the edge of the area went narrowly over the bar. A second Arsenal goal looked inevitable, and they got it 15 minutes after the restart, as Marquinhos’ cross to the far post was headed in by Nketiah. Gabriel Jesus almost added a third for Arsenal late in the game, but Brecher kept his low drilled effort out with his feet.
Zurich had a golden opportunity to equalise in injury time, as Ivan Santini rose highest in the box but his header was straight at Turner. There was ultimately much to admire about the way Arsenal bounced back from their 3-1 defeat to Manchester United at the weekend, with the Gunners deservedly going top of Group A. As for Zurich, they have much to ponder after a losing return to European action after a three-year absence.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Marquinhos (Arsenal)
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Fenerbahce 2-1 Dynamo Kyiv
Fenerbahce started off the stronger of the two sides and dominated possession, but could not turn their dominance into clear-cut chances in Istanbul.
It wasn’t until midway through the first half, that the home side began to pepper the Dynamo Kyiv goal. Attila Szalai found himself with a chance to open the scoring after a rebound fell to him but the defender’s effort on goal was superbly saved by Heorhiy Bushchan. Ezgjan Alioski was then denied by the Dynamo Kyiv shot-stopper before his resolve was finally broken ten minutes before HT. Diego Rossi’s curling corner was nodded in by Gustavo Henrique to give the Turkish side the lead.
The away side finally came out and began to play in the second half - with a completely different intent. This bore fruit around the hour mark when the Ukrainian side equalised. Viktor Tsyhankov showed great composure with a fantastic first-time effort from the edge of the box. Riding high after their equaliser, the visitors looked the likeliest to snatch a winner and an opportunity fell to Vitaliy Buyalskyy but despite having a free header, his effort was comfortably saved.
It looked like the points were going to be shared, until the 93rd minute when Michy Batshuayi, making his debut for the Turkish side netted a late winner. The Dynamo Kyiv defence failed to clear the ball and the Belgian pounced first to slot in and secure all three points.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Michy Batshuayi (Fenerbahce)
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Ludogorets 2-1 Roma
After a Europa League record of 18 straight matches without victory in the tournament proper, Ludogorets finally secured a victory in UEFA’s second-tier competition, shocking Conference League holders Roma with a 2-1 victory.
As expected, Roma began in the ascendancy, pinning Ludogorets back in their own half, with Lorenzo Pellegrini’s effort stinging the palms of Sergio Padt in the game’s first meaningful goalmouth action. But with a rather jaded-looking pitch working against them, Jose Mourinho’s side struggled to emulate the smooth play that sealed Europa Conference League glory last term, though they began to grow into the game, with Ludogorets looking outclassed.
Considering the problematic surface, it was no surprise to see Roma’s best chance of the half come from a set piece. Pellegrini’s teasing delivery was glanced goalwards by Gianluca Mancini, but with Padt beaten, the woodwork spared Ludogorets from trailing at HT.
Whatever Mourinho said at the break, his Roma players came out with the message ringing in their ears, and they almost took the lead inside the opening minute of the second half, but Pellegrini’s dipping effort narrowly dropped over the crossbar.
This game was slowly ebbing away from Roma, and it felt as though a moment of invention was needed to snatch the three points. That moment did come – but for Ludogorets, when Cauly Oliveira Souza picked the ball up 30-yards from goal, drove towards the edge of the area and calmly slotted beyond debutant Mile Svilar in the Roma goal.
Roma thought they’d netted a late equaliser through Eldor Shomurodov, to seemingly spare the Portuguese boss a first-ever defeat against Bulgarian opposition, but there was to be one more twist in the tale. Nonato worked a yard on Nemanja Matic in the area, before rifling an effort across Svilar which nestled into the far corner, ending Ludogorets’ four-match winless run against Italian opposition, as well as finally breaking the club’s loathsome UEL curse.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Cauly Oliveira Souza (Ludogorets)
See all the match stats on Flashscore.
In other fixtures:
AEK Larnaca lost 2-1 at home to Rennes while Real Betis picked up three points in Finland by beating HJK 2-0.
Braga also went to Scandinavia and won, beating Malmo 2-1 in Sweden but PSV could only pick up a point at home from their game with Arctic giant-killers Bodo/Glimt, drawing 1-1.
Union Berlin lost 1-0 at home to Royale Union SG.
