Arsenal starlet Marquinhos broke down in tears on Thursday night after scoring his first goal for the club against Zurich in the Europa League.
The 19-year-old marked his first start for the club with an emphatic finish to give the Gunners the lead against the Swiss champions and fans could see how much the goal meant to the Brazilian, who knelt on the ground and shed a tear.
The winger arrived this summer from Brazilian side Sao Paulo in a £3.15million deal, as he follows the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Pablo Mari, who have both joined Arsenal from Brazilian teams in recent years.
And after impressing in pre-season training, Mikel Arteta decided against loaning him out for game time, as he believed the Brazilian could play a role in the senior team.
He said: ‘I’m very happy with him. He has adapted very well and he’s a really likeable figure in the dressing room and around Colney.
‘His language is not great yet but I think his physicality has been pretty exceptional, for someone who has come from Brazil and has a different way to train and play, but he’s done it.
‘I think he’s got the qualities for how we want to play. We will keep him here for another few months and make sure that he establishes himself at the club and in the team. Afterwards, we’ll see what the best movement is for his career.’
The Brazilian – who joins several of his compatriots at the Emirates Stadium – scored in the 16th minute, turning home an excellent Eddie Nketiah cross into the top left corner of Yanick Brecher’s net, before his emotional celebration.
After scoring he ran into the corner, before seeming to become overawed by the occasion and sinking to his knees.
The 19-year-old was quickly mobbed by his team-mates, with Fabio Vieira – who played an inch perfect pass to Nketiah to make the goal – lifting him to his feet, when he was joined by Gabriel Martinelli and Albert Sambi Lokonga.
But his night was not over as he then turned provider for Nketiah in the second half. With the scores locked at 1-1 after a penalty from the Swiss champions, Marquinhos cut inside from the right-wing onto his left foot and sent an in-swinging cross towards the back post.
The English forward met the ball and headed into the ground beyond Brecher for the eventual winner, in a performance influenced heavily by the Gunners’ latest exciting young attacking prospect.
Source: Mail Online
