Arsenal owned 58% possession and completed 559 accurate passes to Napoli’s 383, which set the rhythm in Naples. The visitors entered the final third 79 times and sustained phases there with 293 of 325 actions completed at 90%. Napoli had 41 entries and 36 of 60 completed in that phase, a 60% rate that shows how hard it was to settle high up. Touches in the penalty area leaned 52-9 to Arsenal, and corners were 6-0. That territory fed volume, with total shots 26-5 and shots on target 8-3.

xG painted an even starker picture at 4.05 to 0.22 in favor of Arsenal. The Premier League side created 6 big chances, although they also missed 6 of them, keeping the game tight until the late strike. Dribbles were 7 of 13 for Arsenal versus 3 of 7 for Napoli. Team average ratings nudged Arsenal’s way too, 6.94 to 6.86 on Sofascore. The only even column was offsides at 1-1.

Napoli’s defensive stand and the goalkeeping twist

Napoli leaned into last-ditch work to stay in it, finishing with 18 clearances and 15 tackles. Centre-backs Rafa Marín and Amir Rrahmani were busy, combining for 9 clearances and two blocks between them, while Marín completed 71 of 74 passes and posted one goal-line clearance. Full-backs Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Mathías Olivera balanced containment with progression, though crosses did not land for the hosts, finishing 0 of 9. Napoli’s long balls were more accurate than Arsenal’s on the day, 30 of 60 versus 8 of 19.

The key twist came in goal. Alex Meret excelled in the first half with 3 saves, 2 high claims and 0.9188 goals prevented, earning an 8.1 Sofascore Rating in just 45 minutes before an injury forced him off. Vanja Milinković-Savić came on and added 3 more saves after the break. David Raya, largely a spectator at the other end, still made 3 saves and posted 0.10 goals prevented, doing the basics well behind a front-foot defense.

Arsenal’s attacking volume and the winning move

Arsenal’s front line took turns knocking on the door. Bukayo Saka had 6 shots and 1 big chance missed, Viktor Gyökeres supplied 4 key passes, and Noni Madueke added a late spark with 2 shots and a big chance created. Christos Tzolis arrived from the bench, recorded an assist and 2 shots on target, yet also missed two big chances. Ben White, advanced and involved, created 3 chances and finished with a hefty 0.67 expected assists. Declan Rice knitted the midfield together with 98 attempted passes, 92 completed and 113 touches.

The winner finally arrived on 75 minutes. The sequence flowed from Rice to Bruno Guimarães to White, then into Ødegaard, out to Tzolis and back into the Norwegian. Ødegaard took the return, opened up and guided a left-footed finish low to the near side. The shot carried an xG of 0.08, which sums up how much this was about timing and technique. It was simple, clean and deserved on balance.

MVP: Martin Ødegaard’s control in Naples

Martin Ødegaard’s night was a clinic in tempo setting and chance creation. He topped all players with a Sofascore Rating of 9 and touched the ball 120 times. He completed 91 of 105 passes and stacked up 6 key passes with 2 big chances created. He also logged a goal, 3 total shots, and one on target, which turned out to be the difference. His expected assists landed at 1.15, a tidy sign of how much service he provided.

Beyond end product, Ødegaard carried the ball 56 times, advancing play by 230.36 meters in total, and repeatedly picked out the weak side in Napoli’s block. He hit 5 long balls, slotted 1 accurate cross and still chipped in with one successful tackle. Arsenal’s best moves consistently ran through him, and the final act was fitting. On a night of heavy volume and almosts, the captain applied the finish that the performance demanded. It was leadership by decision and execution.

What stood out around the pitch