Martin Odegaard converted a crucial penalty in the 84th minute to secure a 3-2 victory for "Arsenal" over "Newcastle United" in an action-packed friendly match. The Norwegian captain came off the bench at halftime and ultimately made the difference in a game that saw multiple lead changes.
"Newcastle" started brightly under Eddie Howe's guidance, with Anthony Elanga breaking the deadlock in just the sixth minute. The early goal put pressure on Mikel Arteta's side, who needed time to find their rhythm.
"We showed good character to come back after conceding early," Arteta might have noted after watching his team's response.
The "Gunners" turned things around before halftime with a quick double strike. First, Mikel Merino equalized in the 33rd minute, and just two minutes later, Alex Murphy had the misfortune of deflecting the ball into his own net to give Arsenal a 2-1 lead.
"Newcastle" wasn't done yet, though. After both managers made numerous changes at the break, Jacob Murphy leveled the score at 2-2 in the 58th minute, setting up an intriguing final half-hour.
Interestingly, both teams fielded strong lineups despite this being a friendly encounter, with the likes of Saka, Havertz, and Pope all getting minutes. The intensity of the match reflected both clubs' determination to build momentum.
The decisive moment came with just six minutes of regular time remaining. Odegaard stepped up to take a penalty and calmly converted, giving "Arsenal" the 3-2 advantage they would hold until the final whistle.
By the end, both managers had used their benches extensively, with Arteta giving minutes to youngsters like Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, and Harriman-Annus, while also introducing Ukrainian defender Oleksandr Zinchenko late in the game.
Can this performance give "Arsenal" confidence heading into the competitive season? If nothing else, Arteta will be pleased with his team's resilience in coming from behind against Premier League opposition.
