Martin Odegaard fired Arsenal to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Napoli in Naples, launching the English champions’ Champions League campaign with three points. The Gunners captain broke the deadlock in the 75th minute, smashing a shot off the post and in from the edge of the area after Napoli had frustrated last season’s runners-up for much of the contest.
Mikel Arteta’s side, who lost the 2026 final to PSG on penalties, created several big chances but were repeatedly denied by Napoli goalkeepers Alex Meret and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. Piero Hincapie, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze, and Viktor Gyokeres all earned first starts of the season as Arteta rotated his squad.
Despite a reshuffled Napoli midfield and strong counter-attacking threats through Rasmus Hojlund and Matteo Politano, Arsenal controlled much of the play. Bukayo Saka missed a clear opportunity before halftime, while Noni Madueke and Christos Tzolis were denied late on by Milinkovic-Savic and a last-ditch block, respectively.
Napoli nearly punished Arsenal at the end, but Kevin De Bruyne’s decision to pass rather than shoot let the Gunners off the hook. Kai Havertz thought he’d added a second in stoppage time, only to be flagged offside.
Arsenal’s next European test is at home against Lille on October 13, while Napoli look to regroup with a trip to Villarreal. The Gunners maintain their perfect start to the campaign, piling further pressure on Napoli after three straight defeats.
