Martin Odegaard’s excellent start to the season continued as the Arsenal captain came to his side’s rescue against Napoli in Naples. The Gunners won 1-0.
The Gunners were guilty of wasteful finishing and were heading for a frustrating draw in their first game in the Champions League since losing last season’s final in agonising fashion.
However, Odegaard had Arsenal’s 1,500 travelling fans celebrating after a fine finish from outside the box – the captain’s fourth goal in five games, including the Community Shield.
Piero Hincapie dropped to his knees after the full-time whistle and thumped the ground with his hands in relief at the result.
Arsenal won all eight group phase games on their way to last season’s final, and they are up and running after a fine win in Italy.
Mikel Arteta’s side had missed three great chances to punish last season’s Serie A runners-up before Odegaard’s winner.
There were 29 passes in the build-up to Arsenal’s winner, their second-most on record (since 2003-04) for a Champions League goal (33 for Lucas Perez’s second at Basel in December 2016).
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
RESULTS
Barcelona 5-1 Feyenoord
Stuttgart 3-1 Viking
Liverpool 2-1 Atletico
Napoli 0-1 Arsenal
PSG 6-1 S’ Bratislavia
Sporting 3-1 Galatasaray
TODAY
Fenerbahce v AS Roma
PSV v Shakhtar
B’Munich v Bodo/Glimt
Como v RB Leipzig
Man Utd v Sabah Baku
S’Prague v Lens