Late Martin Odegaard Penalty Gives Arsenal 3-2 Victory Over Newcastle
Martin Odegaard scored the winner from the spot in the 84th minute as Arsenal beat Newcastle 3-2 in a pre-season friendly in Singapore on Sunday.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: July 27, 2025 09:50 pm IST
Read Time: 2 min
Arsenal Edge Newcastle in Thrilling Pre-Season Friendly
© AFP
Martin Ødegaard sealed a 3-2 victory for Arsenal with a late penalty in the 84th minute during a pre-season friendly against Newcastle United in Singapore on Sunday.
Viktor Gyökeres, the Swedish international striker who signed from Sporting Lisbon just a day earlier, was introduced to the crowd of over 38,700 fans before kickoff. Though he didn’t feature in the match, he watched from the bench as his new team delivered an entertaining win under the Singapore heat. The 27-year-old is expected to make his debut when Arsenal face Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong next Thursday.
“We’re constantly improving the quality of the squad, so we’re really happy to welcome Viktor,” said manager Mikel Arteta.
“It’s taken a long time to bring him in.”
Newcastle, playing without Alexander Isak—who is reportedly weighing his future—struck early in the 6th minute.
Anthony Elanga, a recent signing, rifled the ball into the bottom corner after receiving a cross from Sandro Tonali.
Arsenal, after a slow start, regained their footing and began dominating possession. Mikel Merino equalized in the 33rd minute, finishing from Kai Havertz’s clever flick. Just two minutes later, the Gunners took the lead when Alex Murphy accidentally turned the ball into his own net.
Newcastle nearly fell further behind shortly after the break, but Nick Pope pulled off a superb save to deny Bukayo Saka’s bicycle kick.
Then, against the run of play, Jacob Murphy fired in a long-range shot that slipped past David Raya, making it 2-2.
The decisive moment came late in the game when 15-year-old Max Dowman surged into the box and was brought down by Joelinton.
Ødegaard confidently converted the penalty, giving Arsenal their second win in Singapore, following their earlier 1-0 win over AC Milan.
“Facing Newcastle today wasn’t just another friendly — it was a real test,” Arteta added.