Arsenal loan winger sets new competition best on debut | OneFootball

Arsenal loanee Marquinhos impressed on his competitive debut for Cruzeiro on Sunday night, playing in their 1-0 win over Tombense FC.

Photo via Marquinhos on Instagram

Following a couple of friendly appearances for Cruzeiro over the last week, Arsenal loanee Marquinhos made the starting lineup for the team as they faced Tombense in the Campeonato Mineiro de Futebol on Sunday.

The regional competition kicks off the Brazilian domestic calendar, with the Brazilian Serie A not underway until March 29th.

There are a mix of teams involved in the Campeonato Mineiro, including top-flight sides like Cruzeiro and Atletico Mineiro, but also teams from the lower divisions. Tombense play in the Brazilian third tier, Serie C.

Photo via Marquinhos on Instagram

This was therefore a game that Cruzeiro were expected to win, and it was Marquinhos’ first chance to impress at his new club.

The 21-year-old attempted and completed 12 dribbles across the 90 minutes, as well as winning 14 of 19 ground duels, so he certainly did well on the physical side. He completed 80% of his passes and four crosses, as well as having a couple of shots.

Those 12 dribbles unsurprisingly propelled Marquinhos to the top of the competition’s tally, with no other player completing as many as he did in the first round of matches.

But most importantly, Cruzeiro came away with a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from Yannick Bolasie.

Photo via Bolasie on Instagram

Cruzeiro have a packed schedule to kick off the new campaign, with a game every few days. They’re next in action on Wednesday away to Athletic Club, then Betim on Saturday.

Marquinhos will hope to have plenty more opportunities on the pitch in the coming weeks.