Bodo/Glimt 0-1 Arsenal: 5 Hits and Flops as Saka scores again and Gunners eke out a hard-fought away win | UEFA Europa League 2022-23
Arsenal maintained a 100 percent record in the UEFA Europa League as they overcame Bodo/Glimt on Thursday (October 13), thanks to Bukayo Saka's first-half strike in the 24th minute.
It was the sixth win in a row across all competitions for the Gunners. They defeated Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday and built on that win with a dominant performance in Norway.
It was a slow game with chances coming in few and far between for either side. Saka was a bit lucky as he scored for the second game in a row. His initial attempt at goal was blocked by Marius Høibråten but the ball bounced right off his chest and went in.
Three points away from home, and top of the group
We did this together
👊 Three points away from home, and top of the group
👏 We did this together https://t.co/Pj2l9nc4qV
Bodo/Glimt showed a few glimpses of their attacking flair but did not manage to trouble Matt Turner in the Arsenal goal. Their best chance of the game came in the first half when Amahl Pellegrino broke through the Gunners' defensive line following a great pass from Patrick Berg.
Pellegrino rushed his effort and despite not being under any significant challenge from defenders, took his shot early, which was nowhere near the target.
As the Gunners maintained the top spot in Group A with a narrow away win, here we take a look at the five hits and flops from the game.
#5 Hit - Patrick Berg | Bodo/Glimt
Norwegian midfielder Berg looked sharp throughout the game and delivered a good performance at either end of the pitch. He was a key player in build-up play for the hosts, providing one key pass, and also contributed defensively with a couple of tackles, one interception, and one clearance apiece.
He also boasted the best pass accuracy of an outfield player for the home team, completing 93.9% of his passes. His pass to Pellegrino in the first half led to a solid chance for Bodo, but the striker failed to take full advantage of his situation.
#4 Flop - Eddie Nketiah | Arsenal
Eddie Nketiah was on the scoresheet in the reverse fixture when the two teams met last week. But in this game, he failed to make an impact. He made just one goal attempt and that effort failed to be on target.
The Englishman had the fewest touches (32) of any player in the game who played the full 90 minutes. He did not track back well and was at fault for failing to link up well with his teammates.
#3 Hit - Matt Turner | Arsenal
American goalkeeper Turner put in a fine display between the sticks and took home a well-deserved clean sheet from the game. He was not called into action very often throughout the game, as Bodo managed just one shot on target.
Nonetheless, he was very quick off his line and made some crucial clearances. He went down well to deny Pellegrino from close range in the second half and led his defensive line well.
#2 Flop - Amahl Pellegrino | Bodo/Glimt
Amahl Pellegrino is Bodo/Glimt's top scorer across all competitions and was expected to step up in this game. While he managed to get Bodo's only shot on target in the game, he also missed a couple of chances that would've pulled his side level.
He missed a golden opportunity in the first half when he only had Turner to beat, but in a rush, he attempted a chip shot way too soon, which ended up missing the target completely.
He managed to complete just 62% of his passes and did not contribute much in the build-up play either.
#1 Hit - Bukayo Saka | Arsenal
Saka continued his fine form with a match-winning goal for the Gunners against Bodo/Glimt. He bagged a brace in Arsenal's 3-2 win over Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday. While the performance here was not on the same level as that win, it was enough for the visiting side to secure a narrow win.
Sunday: winner vs. Liverpool
Today: opener vs. Bodø/Glimt
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He was the English club's leading threat in the first half and recorded three shots on target. While there was an element of luck to his goal, his skills and awareness came in handy for him to be in such a goalscoring position in the first place.