Arsenal Make It Five Wins from Five with Napoli Victory
Arsenal continued their perfect start to the 2026-27 season with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, courtesy of a stunning strike from captain Martin Odegaard. The result keeps Mikel Arteta's side unbeaten in all competitions and gets their Champions League league-phase campaign off to a winning start.
How the Match Unfolded
Arsenal made a fast start in Naples, pinning Napoli into their own half and silencing what had been a lively home crowd before kick-off. Arteta made four changes from the side that beat Chelsea last time out, bringing Piero Hincapie, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze, and Viktor Gyokeres into the lineup, with Cristhian Mosquera again absent through injury and Jurrien Timber missing despite traveling with the squad.
The Gunners' best chance of the first half came from Bukayo Saka, who attempted a well-executed bicycle kick after Gyokeres picked him out with a clever trivela cross, only for the effort to go straight at Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret. Napoli, missing key figures including Scott McTominay, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, and David Neres through injury, struggled to get a foothold in the game, with Kevin De Bruyne's long-range effort saved by David Raya among their few first-half openings.
Arteta made a double change shortly into the second half, bringing on Kai Havertz and Noni Madueke in place of Gyokeres and Saka. Arsenal continued to dominate proceedings without finding the breakthrough, before the deadlock was finally broken in the 75th minute. A slick passing move involving Ben White, Odegaard, and Christos Tzolis allowed the Arsenal captain to run onto a rolling ball at the edge of the box and drill a sensational strike off the post and beyond Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, who had no chance of reacting.
Napoli were forced to open up in search of an equalizer, which played into Arsenal's hands on the counter, with Bruno Guimaraes firing over after a slick one-touch move. Arteta made his final change soon after, introducing Martin Zubimendi for White and shifting Declan Rice to right-back to help see out the win. Arsenal held on comfortably in the closing stages to secure a fifth straight victory in all competitions.
Key Talking Points
- Odegaard's captain's moment: The Arsenal skipper's stunning strike off the post proved the difference in a tightly contested match, continuing his knack for delivering in big European fixtures.
- Perfect start continues: The win extends Arsenal's unbeaten record to five matches in all competitions this season, having also won all four of their opening Premier League fixtures.
- Napoli's injury crisis bites: Massimiliano Allegri's side were without several key players, including leading Champions League scorer Scott McTominay, as they suffered a third defeat in their last four matches across all competitions.
- Arsenal's defensive solidity: The Gunners kept another clean sheet on the road, continuing a strong defensive record that has been a hallmark of their season so far.
- Rotation pays off: Arteta's decision to make four changes from the Chelsea win didn't disrupt Arsenal's rhythm, with fringe players like Eze and Hincapie contributing to a professional away performance.
What's Next
Arsenal will look to carry their perfect start into their next fixtures across the Premier League and Champions League, while Napoli will look to arrest their recent slide as they return to Serie A action.
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