Arsenal began their UEFA Champions League campaign with a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Napoli in Naples on Wednesday, with captain Martin Ødegaard producing the decisive moment to break the hosts’ resistance.

The Premier League champions controlled much of the contest but were repeatedly frustrated by Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret and their own finishing. Ødegaard finally settled the match in the 75th minute, firing a powerful effort from the edge of the box that struck the post before finding the net.

The victory gives Mikel Arteta’s side three points at the start of the league phase and extends Arsenal’s perfect opening to the new season.

Ødegaard Delivers When Arsenal Need Him Most

Arsenal had created several opportunities before Ødegaard stepped forward.

The Norwegian midfielder, who had also scored the winner against Chelsea three days earlier, received the ball outside the penalty area before unleashing a fierce shot.

The effort flew beyond the goalkeeper, clipped the post and went in, giving Arsenal the breakthrough they had been chasing for much of the evening.

It was another important contribution from the Arsenal captain during a strong start to the campaign.

Arsenal Dominate but Struggle in Front of Goal

Arsenal had the greater share of possession and territory but could not convert their control into an early goal.

Mikel Merino came closest in the first half when his header from inside the area was pushed over the crossbar by Meret.

Bukayo Saka then missed an even bigger opportunity. Played through with a clear route towards goal, the England winger lifted his finish over the bar.

Ben White and Piero Hincapié also had chances as Arsenal repeatedly tested Napoli’s defensive shape.

Napoli Threaten on the Counter

Although Napoli spent long periods defending, Massimiliano Allegri’s side remained dangerous whenever they broke forward.

Kevin De Bruyne and Matteo Politano both forced saves from Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya during the first half.

Rasmus Højlund also provided Napoli with an outlet through his hold-up play, allowing the hosts to occasionally bypass Arsenal’s pressure and attack in transition.

Napoli had entered the match after a 3-2 defeat against Inter Milan, and injuries to Scott McTominay and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa had already forced Allegri to make changes to his midfield.

Goalkeeper Injury Adds to Napoli’s Problems

Napoli suffered another setback at half-time when Meret was unable to continue.

Vanja Milinković-Savić replaced him between the posts, but Arsenal continued to create opportunities after the restart.

Hincapié had a particularly good chance from close range but lifted his effort over the target.

Despite their territorial dominance, Arsenal had to remain patient before finally finding a way through.

Late Drama Keeps Arsenal on Edge

The Gunners could have made the final stages more comfortable.

With five minutes remaining, substitute Noni Madueke saw his effort blocked by Milinković-Savić, while Christos Tzolis also had a follow-up attempt stopped on the line.

Napoli almost punished Arsenal moments later when De Bruyne found space inside the penalty area. Instead of shooting, the Belgian attempted to square the ball across the six-yard box, but no teammate was able to convert.

Arsenal then thought they had doubled their advantage in stoppage time when Kai Havertz followed up a save by Milinković-Savić. The goal was ruled out for offside.

Arsenal Make Strong European Start

The result continues an impressive beginning to Arsenal’s season.

Arteta’s team have now won their opening three Premier League matches and followed that run with a valuable European victory away from home.

The result is particularly significant after Arsenal lost last season’s Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.

Arsenal’s next Champions League fixture is scheduled at home against Lille on October 13, while Napoli will travel to Villarreal looking to recover from back-to-back defeats.

For Arsenal, however, the immediate takeaway is clear: they may not have produced their most fluent attacking performance, but Ødegaard’s moment of quality was enough to secure three important points on the road.

The Norwegian side secured a famous win to eliminate Brazil and reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the country's history. As the final whistle blew, Solbakken was seen embracing family members on the touchline, a moment that carried far greater significance than a football victory.

Twenty-five years ago, the former midfielder came close to losing his life.

In 2001, while playing professionally in Denmark, Solbakken suffered a cardiac arrest during training. His heart reportedly stopped beating for seven minutes, and he remained in a coma for more than a day. The incident abruptly ended his playing career and raised serious concerns about his survival.

Reflecting on that period in previous interviews, Solbakken revealed that his family had prepared for the worst. Doctors advised him that returning to professional football would be impossible. What followed, however, was a remarkable second chapter that eventually transformed him into one of Scandinavia's most respected football coaches.

The latest triumph over Brazil adds another emotional layer to his connection with the South American giants.

As a player, Solbakken was part of the Norway squad that stunned Brazil 2-1 during the group stage of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. That result helped Norway reach the knockout stage for the first time. Nearly three decades later, he has repeated history from the dugout, guiding the national team to an even bigger achievement.

Norway's current World Cup campaign has exceeded expectations. After qualifying directly for the tournament with a perfect record in the qualifiers, the team advanced through the group stage before defeating Ivory Coast and then Brazil in the knockout rounds.

The success marks a significant turnaround for a side that failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 European Championship. Despite those disappointments, the Norwegian Football Federation retained faith in Solbakken, a decision that is now paying dividends on the biggest stage.

His coaching career began after retirement and included spells in Denmark, England and Germany. Solbakken's most notable achievements came with FC Copenhagen, where he established himself as one of the most successful managers in Scandinavian football.

When he took charge of Norway in December 2020, expectations were high but results did not arrive immediately. Building a competitive national team required patience, particularly with a generation of talented players still developing.

That generation has now come of age.

The current squad is led by stars such as Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard and Alexander Sørloth. Against Brazil, Haaland once again proved decisive, scoring twice to send Norway into the quarter-finals. The Manchester City striker has now scored seven goals in the tournament and is among the leading contenders for the Golden Boot.

Norway's rise has captured attention across the football world, not only because of the quality of its players but also because of the resilience shown by its coach.

Following the historic victory, Solbakken described the occasion as one of the greatest moments in Norwegian football history. For a man whose playing career ended after a life-threatening medical emergency, leading his country to an unprecedented World Cup quarter-final represents a journey few could have imagined.

Norway will now look to continue its dream run, but regardless of what happens next, Solbakken's story has already become one of the defining narratives of the tournament.

Norway marked their return to football's biggest stage with a statement victory, beating Iraq 4-1 in a World Cup Group match that swung back and forth before Erling Haaland's brilliance settled it.

It was Haaland who set the tone early. The Manchester City forward opened his World Cup account in the 29th minute, giving Norway the lead in a contest that had plenty of nerves on both sides given how long each team had waited for this stage.

Iraq did not fold. Aymen Hussein levelled things up with a well-placed header roughly ten minutes later, sending a jolt through a Norwegian side that had looked comfortable until then. The reply did not last, though. Just before the break, a mix-up at the back from Iraq goalkeeper Jalal Hassan let Haaland in for his second of the night, restoring Norway's lead heading into half-time at 2-1.

The occasion carried weight beyond the scoreline. Norway were playing their first World Cup match in 28 years, having missed every edition since France 1998 despite producing a generation of players good enough to headline some of Europe's biggest clubs. Iraq's wait has been even longer, their appearance marking a first World Cup outing since 1986. For both federations, simply being on the pitch in Foxborough carried its own significance, regardless of what followed.

Iraq had their moments before the interval too. Ali Al-Hamadi dragged an effort narrowly wide with the goal at his mercy, and from the resulting corner, Akam Hashim came agonisingly close to what would have been one of the standout goals of the tournament, his effort striking the crossbar rather than dipping in.

The second half settled into a quieter rhythm before Norway struck again. Leo Østigård rose well to head home a Martin Ødegaard corner in the 75th minute, a goal that effectively ended Iraq's hopes of a comeback. Norway made wholesale changes around this point, bringing on Oscar Bobb, Østigård, Kristian Thorstvedt and Andreas Schjelderup, while Iraq also freshened things up in search of a way back into the game.

There was late drama of a different kind in stoppage time, when Thorstvedt headed in from close range off a Haaland cross to make it 4-1, capping a memorable night for the Norwegian forward, who finished with two goals and an assist on his World Cup debut. Zaid Tahseen picked up Iraq's only yellow card of the match for a foul on Haaland midway through the second half.

The numbers from the match underline how significant the win was for Norway. It stands as the country's largest winning margin in men's World Cup history, surpassing previous one-goal victories over Brazil in 1998 and Mexico in 1994. Haaland's brace also means he ties Kjetil Rekdal for the most goals scored by a Norwegian player across World Cup history, and extends a competitive scoring streak for Norway to 11 matches dating back to November 2024. Statisticians tracking the team noted Norway have now won 15 straight matches in all competitions whenever Haaland has been on the scoresheet.

Both sides face a sharp rise in difficulty next. Norway take on Senegal in the early hours of Tuesday, June 23, while Iraq's group continues to test them further when they face France on Monday, June 22.