Linfield fell to a two-goal defeat at home to FC Zurich in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie at Windsor Park.

The Swiss visitors opened the scoring as early as the eighth minute when Tosin combined with Antonio Marchesano to send a backheel past Chris Johns.

Robbie McDaid might have levelled for the Blues, but he couldn't make a strong enough contact to send the ball beyond Yanick Brecher while, at the other end, Jonathan Okita fired just past the post.

Eetu Vertainen came close to finding Linfield's equaliser after the break from close range.

However, Zurich doubled their advantage on 64 minutes through Wilfried Gnonto got on the end of a lob to direct the ball into the net with his right-foot.

The sides meet again in the return next Thursday evening, kick-off 6pm.

Linfield: Johns, Roscoe, Shields, McClean, McDaid, Hall, M. Clarke, Finlayson, Fallon, Mulgrew, Vertainen subs Williamson (not used), Walsh (not used), Newberry (not used), Cooper (replaced McDaid 53), Stewart (replaced McClean 68), McKee (replaced Vertainen 68), Devine (replaced M. Clarke 87), Pepper (not used), Quinn (not used), A. Clarke (not used), Palmer (replaced Mulgrew 68), Archer (not used)

FC Zurich: Brecher, Kamberi, Aliti, Selnæs, Marchesano, Okita, Tosin, Conde, Boranijašević, Gnonto, Kryeziu subs Kostadinović (not used), de Nitti (not used), Omeragić (not used), Krasniqi (replaced Gnonto 85), Hornschuh (replaced Selnæs 62), Avdijaj (replaced Marchesano 72), Rohner (replaced Tosin 72), Hodža, Mets (replaced Okita 62), Seiler (not used), Sauter (not used), Gogia (not used)