‘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.



Shelton Tops Tiafoe on Sweltering Night in Washington

Ben Shelton of the United States returns a shot against Frances Tiafoe of the United States during the men's singles match on day 5 of the Mubadala Citi DC Open 2025 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
Ben Shelton of the United States returns a shot against Frances Tiafoe of the United States during the men's singles match on day 5 of the Mubadala Citi DC Open 2025 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Shelton Tops Tiafoe on Sweltering Night in Washington

Ben Shelton of the United States returns a shot against Frances Tiafoe of the United States during the men's singles match on day 5 of the Mubadala Citi DC Open 2025 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
Ben Shelton of the United States returns a shot against Frances Tiafoe of the United States during the men's singles match on day 5 of the Mubadala Citi DC Open 2025 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)

Ben Shelton beat fellow American Frances Tiafoe 7-6(2) 6-4 in an electrifying match at the Washington Open on Friday to advance to the semifinals on a day marked by suffocating humidity in the nation's capital.

Shelton blasted an ace on match point to seal the win and avenge his five-set loss to Tiafoe at last year's US Open as the 22-year-old continues to make strides in his breakout season.

Hometown hero Tiafoe had the support of the energized crowd but lost momentum when he was unable to serve out the first set while up 6-5, leading to a tiebreak that Shelton dominated.

The second set hinged on a marathon game at 3-3, where Shelton pocketed a break thanks to a Tiafoe double fault.

Shelton rode his huge lefty serve from there to grab the win and set up a semi-final meeting with either top seed Taylor Fritz or Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

"It was a tough one for sure but enjoyable nonetheless," Shelton told Tennis Channel.

"I love playing against Foe. Difficult guy to play against but playing him here in the US, especially being here in DC, it was packed, it was a great atmosphere. I couldn't be happier."

Earlier, tournament lucky loser Corentin Moutet stunned Russia's Daniil Medvedev 6-1 4-6 4-6 in a wild match interrupted by an hour-long delay due to the threat of thunderstorms.

Moutet, leading 5-4 in the final set when they returned to the court, was hobbled by leg cramps but completed the upset in a final game that featured three double faults by Medvedev and a frantic match point.

The Frenchman fell on his back in relief after securing the victory as Medvedev threw his racket and proceeded to take out his frustration on several water bottles, drawing boos from the crowd.

"That is a great way to finish the match," said world number 59 Moutet.

"I was with my coach when we were up 5-4 and I said okay, I have to win the next game because my body cannot handle too much more."

Moutet will face Australian seventh seed Alex de Minaur, who was a 6-4 6-4 winner over Brandon Nakashima.

On the women's side, Canadian Leylah Fernandez and Emma Raducanu both overcame the stifling heat and their opponents to advance to the semifinals, setting up a potential rematch of the 2021 US Open final that was won by the Englishwoman.

For that to happen Raducanu, who beat Maria Sakkari in straight sets on Friday, will have to best Russian Anna Kalinskaya.

Fernandez takes on third seed Elena Rybakina in the semis of the ATP and WTA 500 event on Saturday.