Odegaard gives Arsenal winning Champions League start at Napoli

In a thrilling Champions League encounter, Arsenal's Martin Odegaard scored the winning goal, giving the English champions a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples on Wednesday. The Norwegian striker's late strike broke Napoli's resistance and marked a perfect start to the season for Arsenal, who began their Premier League title defence with three consecutive wins.

Arsenal's next European fixture saw them face Lille at home on Tuesday, Oct 13, while Napoli traveled to Villarreal on the same day in an attempt to bounce back from their previous loss.

Injuries to Scott McTominay and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa prompted a midfield reshuffle for Napoli, with Kevin De Bruyne and Billy Gilmour replacing them. Left-back Mathias Olivera was also selected after the hosts suffered a 3-2 defeat to Inter Milan on Saturday. Arsenal made four changes from their previous win over Chelsea, with Piero Hincapie, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze, and Viktor Gyokeres earning their first starts of the season.

Napoli, who were looking to avoid a third consecutive defeat, set out to frustrate Arsenal's attack and soak up pressure early in the game. However, they struggled to break through Arsenal's low block, and were almost caught out when De Bruyne and Matteo Politano both had their shots blocked by goalkeeper David Raya. Arsenal took control of the game, carving out a significant opportunity midway through the first half when Merino's header from eight yards out hit the bar.

The Gunners continued to probe, with Ben White's tame finish and Meret's blocked shot from Hincapie's cross further demonstrating their dominance.

Despite Rasmus Hojlund's efforts to advance the ball and create chances, Arsenal held on to their lead and ultimately broke Napoli's resistance with just 15 minutes remaining. Odegaard's sensational shot from the edge of the box, just three days after scoring a crucial goal against Chelsea, proved decisive in securing the victory.

Napoli's chances to settle the game came and went, with Noni Madueke and Christos Tzolis both failing to capitalize on their opportunities. The match served as a reminder of Arsenal's formidable start to the Champions League campaign and the resilience of their young star, Martin Odegaard.