Martin Odegaard strikes late as Arsenal finish with defeat of Saints

Irish Examiner

25-05-2025

SOUTHAMPTON 1 ARSENAL 2
A 90th-minute Martin Odegaard goal settled a low-key end of season match with so little on the line, the most interesting action for both sets of supporters took place in the director's box.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, serving a touchline ban, saw out the season sitting alongside Arsenal co-chairman Josh Kroenke.
A good chance to drop some transfer hints to the American who ultimately hold the keys to the spending power of a club once known as the Bank of England club.
That reference dates back to the 1930s when Arsenal dominated the game league and out spent their rivals on and off the pitch. How Arsenal yearn to be able to say that again.
For already relegated rock bottom Southampton, their supporters were in good voice too. They taunted arch rivals Portsmouth ahead of renewing their derby days in the Championship season.
Newly appointed manager Will Still was confirmed before kick-off and watched on not far from Arteta. He now starts a three-year contract and said: 'We have a great opportunity to do something special.
'The project that has been laid out to me is very impressive and, all together, I believe we can build a clear identity and a very positive future for the team.'
Belgium-born Still, 32, has been managing on a budget at French side Lens, where he has had to sell many key players.
One of his first tasks at Southampton will be to recruit a new goalkeeper. Former Arsenal NO.1 Aaron Ramsdale, who had an excellent match, was named captain on his last appearance for the side with a number of clubs, including Aston Villa, West Ham and Leeds, all monitoring his availability.
Another player on the move is Raheem Sterling, playing the final game of his less-than-successful loan move from Chelsea to Arsenal. 'Sterling scores, we're on the p*ss' sang the demob happy travelling Arsenal fans who never had any need to move towards the bar.
Another starting his last match for the club was Celtic-bound Scotland defender Kieran Tierney, who was drafted in at centre back ahead of the crocked William Saliba.
And he showed his shot shy team-mates how to do it when he put Arsenal in front when he converted a low 43rd minute cross from Ben White with a side-footed right foot volley from six yards out. 'One Kieran Tierney' was sung in his honour as the Arsenal players lifted him aloft in celebration.
The lively Kamaldeen Sulemana shot into the side-netting to give Southampton hope of a comeback going into half-time. And they did just that by equalising with a Ross Stewart header from a 57th minute corner.
Arteta, who had started with a second string line-up, sent on some of his star names for the final 15 minutes or so and had only a disallowed Bukayo Saka 'goal' to show for it.
That was until substitute Odeghaard weaved some magic into a dribble on the edge of the area and beat his furious former team-mate Ramsdale with a drilled low left foot shot that has been badly missing from his game in recent months.
Saka was left hobbling at the end and might now miss forthcoming international duty with time to get fit before Arsenal's pre-season tour of Asia in July.
Southampton: Ramsdale 8; Sugawara 6, Wood 6, Taylor 6, Welington 6; Downes 6, Ugochukwu 6, Fernandes 6; Robinson 6 (Smallbone 79), Kamaldeen 7 (Archer 79), Stewart 6 (Onuachu 70). Subs: McCarthy, Bree, Manning, Kayi Sanda, Moore, Aribo.
Arsenal: Raya 6, White 6, Kiwior 6, Tierney 8 (Trossard 63), Zinchenko 6 (Lewis-Skelly 70), Partey 6, Rice 6, Nwaneri 6 (Odegaard 75), Sterling 4 (Saka 63), Merino 6, Martinelli 6 (Havertz 71). Subs: Neto, Jorginho, Henry-Francis, Kabia.
Ref: Darren Bond 5 Att: 31,289