‘Unbelievable’ Odegaard Transforms Arsenal and Gets Saka Smiling Again

 Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Arsenal - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 26, 2024 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Arsenal - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 26, 2024 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
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‘Unbelievable’ Odegaard Transforms Arsenal and Gets Saka Smiling Again

 Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Arsenal - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 26, 2024 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Arsenal - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 26, 2024 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

The goals are flying in again for Arsenal — and it just happens to coincide with the return from injury of Martin Odegaard.

Make that eight goals in two games since the international break for Arsenal after its 5-1 hammering of Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday, tying the English team’s heaviest ever away win in the competition.

Odegaard is back in Arsenal’s team after missing two months with an ankle injury. In that time, Mikel Arteta’s attack stuttered, with a 2-0 loss to Bournemouth and a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle dropping the Gunners well off the pace in the Premier League. There was also a 0-0 draw at Atalanta in the Champions League as well as a 1-0 loss to Inter Milan last month, when Odegaard made his comeback from injury as an 89th-minute substitute.

Since then, Arsenal hasn’t lost and the goals have returned. After a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday came the cruise in Lisbon — and Odegaard was at the heart of everything as Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end.

“He’s an unbelievable player,” Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka said of Odegaard. “The day he returned, there was a big smile on my face. You can see the chemistry we have. I hope he stays fit for the rest of the season.”

Odegaard was involved in the build-up to Arsenal’s first two goals against Sporting — scored by Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz — and was fouled to win the penalty converted by Saka in the 65th to restore Arsenal’s three-goal lead at 4-1.

Odegaard was seen flexing his leg after that but continued untroubled and was substituted in the 78th minute.

The last thing Arteta would want now is another injury to Odegaard as Arsenal attempts to reel in first-place Liverpool in the Premier League. Liverpool is already nine points ahead of fourth-place Arsenal after 12 games.



Esports World Cup 2025 Kicks Off in Riyadh

The seven-week global event transforms Riyadh into a dynamic hub of gaming and culture, drawing entertainment enthusiasts from around the world. SPA
The seven-week global event transforms Riyadh into a dynamic hub of gaming and culture, drawing entertainment enthusiasts from around the world. SPA
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Esports World Cup 2025 Kicks Off in Riyadh

The seven-week global event transforms Riyadh into a dynamic hub of gaming and culture, drawing entertainment enthusiasts from around the world. SPA
The seven-week global event transforms Riyadh into a dynamic hub of gaming and culture, drawing entertainment enthusiasts from around the world. SPA

Esports World Cup 2025 has officially launched in Riyadh. The seven-week global event transforms the capital into a dynamic hub of gaming, culture, art, and community, drawing entertainment enthusiasts from around the world.

Held at Boulevard Riyadh City, the festival offers a variety of innovative experiences across multiple zones. Highlights include the Aramco SIM Arena, featuring advanced car racing simulations; the stc Arena and Amazon Arena, which host community competitions; a Content Creator Park for influencers; a main stage for family-friendly entertainment; and themed areas such as the Jameel Motorsport Park and the Japanese Garden.

The festival runs alongside Esports World Cup 2025 competitions, attracting global esports fans to Riyadh. Building on the success of the inaugural 2024 event, this year’s tournament features intense preparations and will showcase top-tier competitions in games such as VALORANT, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, and Apex Legends. The event continues the Club Championship format, which awards clubs based on multi-title performance to crown the world’s top esports organization.

Esports World Cup 2025 brings together elite players and teams from across the globe to compete for a record-breaking prize pool exceeding $70 million, the largest in esports history.

Over 2,000 professional players representing 200 premier clubs from more than 100 countries will participate in 25 tournaments covering 24 esports titles, all broadcast under extensive global media coverage.