Arsenal began their 2026/27 Champions League campaign with an important 1-0 victory away to Napoli on Thursday, September 10.
Martin Odegaard proved to be the difference at Naples, scoring in the 75th minute to give the Gunners three valuable points from a challenging away fixture.
However, the narrow scoreline did not fully reflect Arsenal’s performance.
Mikel Arteta’s side created several opportunities throughout the match and repeatedly tested Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret. Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino, Piero Hincapie and Noni Madueke all had chances to add to Arsenal’s advantage.
For Arteta, the result was positive, but the missed opportunities remained the main frustration after the final whistle.
Arsenal Control the Game but Struggle to Finish
Arsenal started aggressively and quickly looked to put Napoli under pressure.
Their first significant opportunity arrived in the 14th minute when Saka connected with a cross from Viktor Gyokeres. The England winger attempted an acrobatic finish, but his effort went straight toward Meret.
The pressure continued as Arsenal looked increasingly dangerous around the Napoli penalty area.
Another promising move involved Saka, Eberechi Eze and Merino. Saka delivered a cross that was met by Eze before the ball reached Merino, whose header forced Meret into an acrobatic save.
Napoli survived another major scare before half-time.
Saka received a through ball from Odegaard and found himself in a promising position. With space available, the Arsenal winger attempted to lift his shot over the goalkeeper, but the effort went over the crossbar.
The chances were there, but Arsenal could not turn their dominance into an early lead.
Arsenal’s notable chances included:
- Saka’s acrobatic effort in the opening half.
- Merino’s header that required a strong save from Meret.
- Saka’s late first-half opportunity after Odegaard’s through ball.
- Hincapie’s chance inside the six-yard box after the break.
- Several dangerous situations created around Napoli’s penalty area.
Odegaard Finally Breaks Napoli’s Resistance
Arsenal continued to threaten after the interval, refusing to allow Napoli to settle into the match.
The Gunners came close again when a loose ball fell to Piero Hincapie inside the six-yard box. However, the defender could not direct his effort accurately enough to find the net.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 75th minute.
Odegaard found room on the edge of the penalty area before sending a shot toward goal. His effort struck the post before finding the back of the net.
It was a crucial moment for Arsenal.
The captain’s goal ended Napoli’s resistance and gave the visitors the advantage they had been pushing for throughout the evening.
Odegaard’s contribution was even more significant because Arsenal had already created several opportunities without finding a breakthrough.
His performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
Arteta Wants More From Arsenal’s Finishing
Despite being pleased with Arsenal’s overall display, Arteta could not hide his frustration over the number of chances his team failed to convert.
The Arsenal manager felt the 1-0 scoreline did not accurately represent his side’s performance.
“The number of chances we created, I think the performance probably doesn’t reflect the result,” Arteta told TNT Sports.
He believed Arsenal should have won by a more comfortable margin considering the quality of their opportunities and the difficulty of the away fixture.
“It should have been much bigger in a very difficult environment against a very tough opponent,” Arteta added.
For Arteta, the main issue was not Arsenal’s approach or creativity. Instead, it was the final touch in front of goal.
Arteta and Rice Highlight Missed Opportunities
Arteta was particularly disappointed that Arsenal were unable to take advantage of some of their biggest chances.
“It’s a shame we missed so many big chances. On another day, the result would be different,” he said.
Declan Rice shared a similar assessment.
The midfielder acknowledged that Arsenal had produced enough opportunities to score more goals and make the result far more comfortable.
“We had so many chances and should have been more effective,” Rice told Canal+.
The England international nevertheless recognized the importance of securing a positive result in Naples.
“It’s still a good night, but we should have scored more goals,” he added.
That sentiment summed up Arsenal’s evening perfectly: three points were secured, but there was also a clear feeling that the game could have been settled much earlier.
Odegaard Delighted With the Result
Odegaard also recognized that Arsenal could have been more clinical.
The Norwegian midfielder was pleased with the team’s overall performance but admitted that the Gunners had opportunities to put the game beyond Napoli.
“We played very well and should have scored more goals, but in the end we got it done,” Odegaard told TNT Sports.
That combination of satisfaction and self-criticism could be important for Arsenal moving forward in the Champions League.
Winning away from home against Napoli is a significant result, but the missed chances provide Arteta and his players with an obvious area to improve.
A Valuable Champions League Start for Arsenal
Ultimately, Arsenal achieved their primary objective in Naples.
The Gunners leave with three points after a performance in which they controlled much of the contest, created numerous chances and defended their advantage after Odegaard’s decisive goal.
The biggest concern is simply that the scoreline remained close for so long.
Against a team capable of punishing mistakes, Arsenal could potentially face greater problems if they continue to waste clear opportunities.
For now, however, Arteta can take plenty of positives from the result.
Arsenal have opened their 2026/27 Champions League campaign with an away victory, while Odegaard has provided the decisive moment on a difficult European night.
The next challenge will be turning dominant performances into more convincing scorelines.
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