The game, which marked Arsenal ‘s return to European competition after missing out on qualifying for the first time in 25 years last season,

was completely overshadowed by the official announcement.

The terrible news broke during the first half of their Europa League

encounter and the players from both sides gathered around the centre circle before the second half began.

Teenage Brazilian Marquinhos made his Arsenal debut with a goal and an assist,

giving manager Mikel Arteta the victory he had hoped for.

The 19-year-old Marquinhos,

who arrived from Sao Paulo in the summer,

only cost £3 million and already appears to be a steal.

After deciding to let record acquisition Nicolas Pepe to spend the season at Nice,

Arsenal elected to keep him instead of sending him out on loan to acquire more first-team experience.

The official announcement completely overshadowed the game,

which marked Arsenal’s return to European competition following their first missed opportunity to qualify in 25 years previous season.

In order to earn the victory that manager Mikel Arteta had been looking for,

Brazilian youth Marquinhos celebrated his Arsenal debut with a goal and an assist.

Marquinhos,

19, joined from Sao Paulo for under £3 million in the summer and immediately appears to be a steal.

The decision to keep him came after Arsenal

decided to let record acquisition Nicolas Pepe to finish the season at Nice instead of loaning him out to acquire more first-team experience.

Xhaka,

who was playing for Arsenal for the first time since his dramatic meltdown at the Emirates nearly three years ago,

was drawing the ire of the crowd more than anybody else.

Although it has been more than ten years since Xhaka last represented Basel,

Zurich’s main opponents,

its followers are still hesitant to forget or forgive.

But Xhaka wasn’t concerned. Since he is accustomed to being criticised,

he very nearly had the last laugh with a fierce long-range shot that forced

goalkeeper Yanick Brecher to make a scrambling save in the 25th minute.

But just as it seemed as though Arsenal was on autopilot,

they once more had to pay the price for a breakdown in their defensive composure.

Arsenal debut with a goal and an assist! 3

Following the news of Her Majesty The Queen’s passing,

the players from Arsenal and FC Zurich conducted a minute of silence during the first half of their Europa League match on Thursday.

The start of the second half was delayed,

and after the passing,

players from both teams gathered in the centre circle to pay their respects.

The BT Sport host Matt Smith paid a moving homage to the Queen before the game resumed.

The Gunners defeated FC Zurich 2-1 in Switzerland to win their Europa League opener.

Another Brazilian has contributed to Arsenal,

though not before Thursday night.

Arsenal debut with a goal and an assist! 4

With the first goal in his first game for the Gunners,

Marquinhos helped his club get off to a strong start in the Europa League. Gabriel Martinelli, another budding Selecao star,

joined him in the festivities next to him. The 24-year-old

starting center-back Gabriel Magalhaes and the substitute Gabriel Jesus are both proud (and effective) Brazilian citizens.

Early on,

Marquinhos scored the game’s first goal for the team by capping off an excellent counterattack.

On the cusp of halftime, Nketiah conceded a penalty,

which Mirlind Kryeziu converted to tie the score at one.

Nketiah atoned for his mistake in the second half, though, by directing Marquinhos’ cross into the net to give Mikel Arteta’s team a well-deserved victory.

In a match that will go down in history in an odd,

unpleasant way, Arsenal’s return to Europe went off without a hitch. A minute of silence probably wasn’t observed before too many subsequent second periods, but before the game resumed, players from both teams joined arms and gathered in the centre circle to remember Queen Elizabeth, whose passing had been announced at the conclusion of the first period.

The stadium staff, to their credit,

moved immediately to broadcast a picture of the monarch on the huge screens at both ends along with words of condolence after a section of the away support already sang a rendition of the national anthem.

Mikel Arteta will be happy with the way Arsenal managed their task against a weak FC Zürich team and especially excited by Marquinhos’ sensational debut. The teenage Brazilian winger opened the scoring and, after Mirlind Kryeziu tied the score with a penalty,

set up Eddie Nketiah to score the game-winning goal. Arsenal has grabbed early control of Group A and did not feel the consequences of the seven alterations very much.

after Mirlind Kryeziu tied the score with a penalty, set up Eddie Nketiah to score the game-winning goal.