The Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on a European night is one of the harder places to start a campaign, and for 75 minutes it looked like we would leave with nothing but a story about missed chances.
The Chances
There were plenty. Mikel Merino headed straight at Alex Meret. Piero Hincapié somehow stabbed one over the bar from six yards. Noni Madueke found the finishing that keeps following him around. Worst of all, on the stroke of half-time Martin Ødegaard slid a pass through the Napoli defence to put Bukayo Saka clean through, and Saka put it over the crossbar from close enough that the away end went quiet.
The Goal
So the captain did it himself. On 75 minutes, at the end of a patient move, Ødegaard took it on the edge of the box and arrowed a shot in off the post.
Napoli's best moment came late, Kevin De Bruyne sliding a ball across the six-yard box with nobody there to touch it. Three points from a trip most teams will not win, and a first Champions League night as defending finalists.
Man of the Match: Martin Ødegaard 🇳🇴
He created the best chance of the match and then scored the only goal of it. Whatever he did over the summer, it is working.
Image Credits: https://www.arsenal.com/