Joe Cole hailed Martin Ødegaard as being at “the peak of his powers” after the Arsenal captain’s stunning strike secured a 1-0 Champions League victory over Napoli in Naples.
Ødegaard broke the deadlock in the 75th minute, firing into the corner from the edge of the penalty area after Arsenal had dominated possession but squandered several chances. His effort, which went in off the post, gave Mikel Arteta’s side a winning start to their European campaign.
Joe Cole praises Martin Ødegaard after Napoli winner
Speaking on TNT Sports after the match, former England international Cole said Arsenal’s attacking play increasingly revolved around their captain.
“Everything runs through Martin Odegaard. He can stand still and find space. He is at the peak of his powers and it is beautiful to watch,” Cole said. “You can’t help but love watching him play his football.”
Arsenal registered 26 attempts in total, with Mikel Merino, Bukayo Saka and Piero Hincapié among those who came close before Ødegaard finally found a way through. The result was narrower than the visitors’ overall performance suggested, with Napoli also threatening through Kevin De Bruyne and Matteo Politano.
Arteta also praised the influence of his captain, while admitting that Arsenal should have settled the contest much earlier.
“Martin is contributing with goals that are impacting results which is what we want from our attacking players, being decisive and certainly he was again today,” the Arsenal manager said.
“We should have done it in a different way because of the amount of chances we created.”
The goal was Ødegaard’s fourth in five appearances this season and came just four days after he scored the winner against Chelsea. His recent decisive contributions have also included goals against Manchester City and Coventry City, underlining his growing influence in the final third.
Arsenal were forced to withstand late pressure after taking the lead, while Kai Havertz had a stoppage-time goal ruled out for offside. Nevertheless, Ødegaard’s strike was enough to deliver three points and ensure the club began their Champions League campaign with victory.
