LONDON: Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the starting lineup but Real Sociedad beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford in their Europa League debut on Thursday.
After failing to secure a transfer to a Champions League club, the star striker had to settle with Sporting Lisbon to play in Europe’s second-tier competition for the first time since 2002.
Ronaldo last started on 13 August in a 4–0 loss to Brentford, before United had scored four consecutive Premier League victories. United manager Eric ten Haag used the Portugal star off the bench during the winning streak.
Before their opening group stage game, a minute’s silence was observed in honor of Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday at the age of 96.
Both teams wore black armbands and flags were flown at half-mast at Old Trafford.
“The club here in the United Kingdom, in the Commonwealth and around the world recognizes his immense contribution to public life, including sport,” United said in a statement.
Brazilian teenager Marquinhos made his Arsenal debut by scoring the first goal and setting the second in a 2–1 win over Zurich in their opening group stage match.
Eddie Neketia made Zurich the winner after equalizing a penalty awarded to Zurich as Arsenal bounced back from a 3-1 loss to United on Sunday – their first defeat in the Premier League this season.
Lazio began their campaign with a 4–2 victory over Feyenoord, but lost 2–1 to fellow Italian club Roma Bulgaria’s Ludogorets.
In the third-tier Europa Conference League, West Ham rallied after beating Romania’s FCSB 3–1 in London in the second half.
Elsewhere, Villarreal defeated Lech Poznan 4–3 while Fiorentina were beaten 1–1 at home by Latvian champions RFS.
The start of the match between Nice and Cologne in the ECL was delayed due to a fight between supporters in the stands of the Allianz Riviera stadium. Kickoff was pushed back 55 minutes. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
europa league
Bryce Mendez converts for Real Sociedad in the second half at Old Trafford, hitting the bottom corner of David de Gea’s goal. The penalty for handball was given by defender Lisandro Martínez. It was Real Sociedad’s first win over United in European competitions.
The pair of Neketia and Marquinhos were involved in the defining moments of Arsenal’s victory, while United States goalkeeper Matt Turner made his debut for the Gunners in Major League Soccer following a summer transfer from the New England Revolution.
Neketia found the back of the net in the second half with a header that went between the legs of Zurich goalkeeper Yannick Brecher with a cross from Marquinhos, who had joined Arsenal from So Paulo this summer.
In the London club’s return to European football after a year’s absence, 19-year-old Marquinhos met a cross from Ketia to the top corner from left to side-foot and finished a fluent counter-attack 16 minutes into the game.
Despite Arsenal’s dominance, the hosts equalized a minute before halftime after Miralind Krieziu sent Turner the wrong way from the spot.
In the same Group A, PSV Eindhoven drew 1–1 to Bodo/Glimt.
Brazilian forward Nonato made a late winning streak for Bulgarian club Ludogorets.
Following Jose Mourinho’s victory in Roma’s inaugural Europa Conference League last season, the coach wants his third Europa League title after his victories with Porto in 2003 and Manchester United in 2017.
Center forward Tammy Abraham was not available for Mourinho due to a shoulder problem.
Lazio put the result beyond doubt against Feyenoord at the Stadio Olimpico Rome, netting three in less than half an hour, with Luis Alberto, Felipe Anderson and Mattias Vecino scoring a goal each. Vesino added his second in the second half, before Santiago Jiménez returned twice for the Dutch team.
Italian authorities have banned fans of the Dutch club from traveling to Rome after his supporters clashed with police and damaged a historic fountain during a 2015 trip to face Roma.
Mickey Batsuyi came off the bench to give Fenerbah a 2-1 home win over Dynamo Kyiv.
Willian Jose converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time and later added another for Real Betis’ 2-0 win in Helsinki.
Europa Conference League
West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen quelled Andrei Cordia’s first-half strike by netting from the spot before goals from Emerson and substitute Michael Antonio, in a boost for Hammer after a poor start to the Premier League season, win at London Stadium achieved.
Francis Coquelin sealed the win for Villarreal in a minute from time.
Villarreal were in the semi-finals of the Champions League four months ago, but had to settle for the Europa Conference League after finishing seventh in Spain last season.
In the second edition of the Europa Conference League, teams from Kosovo, Liechtenstein and Lithuania represented their countries in the group stage of the UEFA competition for the first time.
All their games ended in draws. Kosovo’s Balkani drew 1–1 to Cluj, while Liechtenstein’s Vaduz and Lithuania’s Salgiris played goalless games against Apollon Limassol and Slovan Bratislava respectively.
In addition, Scotland’s Hearts were beaten 4–0 by Istanbul Basaksir in Edinburgh and a late penalty from Fabio Silva gave Anderlecht a 1–0 win against Silkeborg.