Napoli 0–1 Arsenal: Full Match Statistics, xG & Detailed Analysis

Arsenal secured a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Napoli, with Martin Ødegaard scoring the decisive goal in the 75th minute to settle a match in which the Gunners dominated the underlying numbers.

Although the final score suggests a close contest, the statistical picture was considerably more one-sided. Arsenal finished with 58% possession, 26 shots, eight shots on target, five big chances and 4.04 expected goals (xG).

Napoli, meanwhile, recorded only 5 shots, three shots on target, no big chances and 0.23 xG.

The difference in chance creation was enormous. Arsenal also registered 51 touches inside Napoli's penalty area compared with just eight for the hosts, while their 92% passing accuracy helped them maintain control for long periods.

Martin Ødegaard eventually provided the breakthrough in the 75th minute, receiving a clever pass from Christos Tzolis before finding the bottom-left corner via the post.

Despite several excellent opportunities, Arsenal could not add a second goal, allowing Napoli to remain within touching distance until the final whistle.

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Napoli 0–1 Arsenal: Match Overview

Statistic	Napoli	Arsenal
Final score	0	1
Half-time score	0	0
Expected goals (xG)	0.23	4.04
Possession	42%	58%
Total shots	5	26
Shots on target	3	8
Big chances	0	5
Corners	0	6
Pass accuracy	86%	92%
Yellow cards	2	1
xGOT	0.10	1.69
Expected assists (xA)	0.13	3.59

Statistics source: Flashscore.mobi

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Arsenal's 4.04 xG Tells a Different Story

The biggest statistical headline was the 4.04–0.23 xG advantage in Arsenal's favour.

That is a difference of 3.81 expected goals.

In simple terms, Arsenal created chances that, collectively, would normally be expected to produce around four goals based on their quality, while Napoli's opportunities amounted to only around a quarter of a goal.

Yet Arsenal scored only once.

This is why the final 0–1 scoreline doesn't fully describe the balance of the match.

Arsenal repeatedly created opportunities but were unable to convert enough of them.

The commentary provides several examples.

Mikel Merino forced a superb save in the first half, while Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Kevin De Bruyne also produced efforts that tested the opposing goalkeepers.

Arsenal continued to create chances after the interval, including opportunities for Piero Hincapie, Christos Tzolis, Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz.

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Possession: Napoli 42%–58% Arsenal

Arsenal finished with 58% possession, compared with Napoli's 42%.

The difference was not enormous in percentage terms, but Arsenal made much more effective use of their possession.

Their 58% share was accompanied by:

• 26 shots
• 8 shots on target
• 5 big chances
• 51 opposition-box touches
• 3.59 xA
• 559 completed passes

Napoli's 42% possession produced only five shots.

This is an important distinction: Arsenal's possession was not simply about retaining the ball. They consistently used it to advance into dangerous areas.

The commentary also showed Arsenal controlling the tempo through accurate short passing during the second half.

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Arsenal Produced 26 Shots to Napoli's 5

The shooting numbers were overwhelmingly in Arsenal's favour.

Shooting statistic	Napoli	Arsenal
Total shots	5	26
Shots on target	3	8
Shots off target	0	11
Blocked shots	2	7
Inside the box	2	15
Outside the box	3	11
Woodwork	0	0

Arsenal attempted 21 more shots than Napoli.

That is a huge difference.

The Gunners also produced 15 shots inside the penalty area, compared with only two from Napoli.

This shows that Arsenal weren't relying exclusively on long-range attempts.

They repeatedly managed to penetrate Napoli's defensive area.

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8 Shots on Target for Arsenal

Arsenal registered eight shots on target, compared with three from Napoli.

That gave Arsenal almost three times as many attempts requiring goalkeeper intervention.

The first half already contained several dangerous Arsenal opportunities.

Saka tested the goalkeeper, Merino had a powerful header saved and Eze came close with a curling effort.

Napoli's Kevin De Bruyne also forced an excellent save from David Raya with a long-range attempt.

After the break, Arsenal continued testing the goalkeeper before Ødegaard finally found the decisive finish.

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Arsenal Created Five Big Chances

Arsenal produced five big chances.

Napoli produced zero.

This is perhaps the clearest explanation for Arsenal's dominance.

The Gunners weren't simply accumulating low-quality shots. They were repeatedly finding situations considered significant scoring opportunities.

The frustrating part for Arsenal was their finishing.

They eventually scored only once despite producing five big chances.

The commentary records several missed opportunities, including Hincapie's effort over the bar, Tzolis' late opportunity and other attempts that either went wide or were saved.

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Arsenal Had 51 Touches in Napoli's Box

One of the most revealing numbers was:

Napoli: 8 touches in opposition box
Arsenal: 51 touches in opposition box

Arsenal therefore recorded 43 more touches inside the opposition penalty area.

That is an enormous territorial advantage.

It means Arsenal repeatedly moved the ball into the most dangerous part of the pitch.

Napoli, by comparison, rarely established sustained possession in Arsenal's box.

This also explains the huge difference in shots and expected goals.

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Ødegaard's Goal Finally Broke the Deadlock

After 74 minutes without a goal, Arsenal finally found the breakthrough in the 75th minute.

Christos Tzolis produced the decisive pass, releasing Martin Ødegaard around the edge of the penalty area.

Ødegaard then struck a controlled effort that went in off the left post.

The goal was a fitting reward for Arsenal's superior attacking performance.

It also transformed the statistical dominance into the only thing that ultimately matters on the scoreboard: a lead.

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Arsenal's Passing Was Excellent

Arsenal completed 559 of 608 passes, giving them a remarkable 92% passing accuracy.

Napoli completed 383 of 446, equivalent to 86%.

Passing statistic	Napoli	Arsenal
Pass accuracy	86%	92%
Completed passes	383	559
Long passes	49%	42%
Final-third passes	60%	90%
Crosses	0%	26%

Arsenal's six-percentage-point advantage in overall passing accuracy demonstrates how reliably they circulated the ball.

But the most important figure is their final-third passing.

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Arsenal Completed 90% of Their Final-Third Passes

Arsenal completed 293 of 325 passes in the final third.

That's an outstanding 90% success rate.

Napoli completed only 36 of 60 final-third passes, or 60%.

The difference shows that Arsenal were significantly more comfortable moving the ball around dangerous areas.

This also helps explain their high number of attacking opportunities.

The commentary repeatedly showed Arsenal combining through short passes and patiently looking for openings.

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Expected Assists: Arsenal 3.59 vs Napoli 0.13

Another huge difference came in expected assists.

Arsenal recorded 3.59 xA, while Napoli managed only 0.13.

That's a difference of 3.46 expected assists.

This suggests Arsenal's passing created substantially more dangerous shooting opportunities.

The decisive goal is an excellent example.

Tzolis' pass released Ødegaard into a position from which he could attempt a high-quality shot.

Arsenal also produced numerous other dangerous passes into and around the penalty area throughout the match.

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Through Passes: Arsenal 2–0 Napoli

Arsenal completed two accurate through passes.

Napoli recorded none.

While the number is relatively small, it reflects Arsenal's ability to penetrate the defensive structure with passes that could put attackers into advantageous positions.

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Arsenal's Crossing Advantage

Arsenal completed 5 of 19 crosses, giving them a 26% success rate.

Napoli completed none of their nine attempted crosses.

Arsenal's greater success from wide areas helped them create opportunities through deliveries into the penalty area.

Merino's first-half header from an Arsenal attacking sequence was one example of how their delivery could generate dangerous opportunities.

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Arsenal's Defensive Numbers

Defensive statistic	Napoli	Arsenal
Fouls	12	11
Tackles won	43% (6/14)	67% (6/9)
Duels won	36	36
Clearances	17	7
Interceptions	4	6
Errors leading to shot	2	1
Errors leading to goal	0	0

Napoli made 17 clearances, more than twice Arsenal's seven.

This is consistent with the overall match pattern.

The hosts spent considerable periods defending against Arsenal attacks and were frequently required to remove the ball from dangerous areas.

Arsenal's six interceptions also helped them recover possession and prevent Napoli from developing attacks.

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Napoli's Five Shots Explain Their Lack of Threat

Napoli produced only five shots during the entire match.

Of those:

• 3 were on target
• 0 were off target
• 2 were blocked
• 2 came from inside the box
• 3 came from outside

The lack of shots from inside the penalty area is particularly important.

Only two Napoli attempts came from inside the box.

Their attacking opportunities were therefore much more limited than Arsenal's.

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Napoli's xG Was Only 0.23

Napoli's 0.23 xG is extremely low for a full match.

It means their chances were generally of limited quality.

Their best moments came through individual efforts rather than sustained attacking pressure.

Kevin De Bruyne forced a save from distance, while Matteo Politano also tested David Raya.

But Napoli struggled to consistently get players into Arsenal's penalty area.

The eight touches in the opposition box underline that problem.

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Goalkeeping: Raya and Milinkovic-Savic Both Played Their Part

The goalkeeping statistics were interesting.

Goalkeeping statistic	Napoli	Arsenal
Saves	6	3
xGOT faced	1.69	0.10
Goals prevented	0.69	0.10
Goal kicks	12	4

Napoli's goalkeeper made six saves, reflecting Arsenal's eight shots on target.

The goalkeeper was particularly important in keeping Napoli in the match.

Arsenal's goalkeeper made three saves.

Although Napoli produced only five shots, three were on target, meaning Raya still had to deal with several efforts.

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Arsenal Could Have Won by More

The statistics strongly suggest that Arsenal could have scored more than once.

They had:

• 4.04 xG
• 5 big chances
• 26 shots
• 8 shots on target
• 51 touches in the opposition box
• 3.59 xA

Yet only one goal was scored.

That gap between chance creation and goals is the major talking point from Arsenal's perspective.

They were excellent at creating opportunities but less clinical in front of goal.

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Napoli's Goalkeeper Kept the Game Alive

Napoli's goalkeeper made six saves and recorded a 0.69 goals-prevented figure.

That figure suggests the goalkeeper prevented a significant amount of expected damage based on the shots faced.

The first half alone included several important saves.

Merino's powerful header was denied, while other Arsenal efforts were also kept out.

Later in the match, the goalkeeper produced another excellent save to deny Madueke after a strong individual run.

Without those interventions, Arsenal could have established a much larger advantage.

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Arsenal's Tactical Control

The match commentary suggests Arsenal gradually established control through a combination of possession, short passing and positional attacks.

Rather than constantly forcing the ball forward, Arsenal were able to circulate possession and wait for opportunities.

Their 90% final-third passing accuracy is particularly important here.

Arsenal were not simply reaching the attacking third; they were keeping the ball there.

That allowed players such as Saka, Eze, Ødegaard and Tzolis to receive possession in advanced areas.

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Second-Half Changes

Both teams made several substitutions.

Napoli introduced Milinkovic-Savic at half-time after Meret's injury interruption in the first half.

Later, Favasuli and Vergara entered, followed by Neres and Lucca.

Arsenal also refreshed their attack and midfield, bringing on Bruno Guimaraes, Tzolis, Havertz, Madueke and Zubimendi.

The substitutions helped Arsenal maintain intensity during the final stages.

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Arsenal's Late Pressure

Even after taking the lead, Arsenal continued looking for another goal.

Madueke forced an excellent save in the 86th minute, while Tzolis had another excellent opportunity that he could not convert.

Havertz also had a goal ruled out for offside late in the match.

These incidents demonstrate that Arsenal continued attacking rather than simply retreating after Ødegaard's goal.

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Why Arsenal Won Napoli 0–1

The statistics identify several decisive factors.

1. Arsenal dominated chance creation

xG: 4.04–0.23

2. Arsenal produced five big chances

Napoli created none.

3. Arsenal dominated shooting

26–5 shots.

4. Arsenal attacked the penalty area more effectively

51–8 touches in the opposition box.

5. Arsenal controlled possession

58%–42%.

6. Arsenal passed more accurately

92%–86%.

7. Arsenal dominated final-third passing

90%–60%.

8. Ødegaard provided the decisive finish

His 75th-minute strike finally converted Arsenal's statistical dominance into a winning goal.

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Complete Napoli vs Arsenal Statistics

Category	Napoli	Arsenal
Final score	0	1
xG	0.23	4.04
xGOT	0.10	1.69
Possession	42%	58%
Total shots	5	26
Shots on target	3	8
Shots off target	0	11
Blocked shots	2	7
Shots inside box	2	15
Shots outside box	3	11
Woodwork	0	0
Big chances	0	5
Corners	0	6
Opposition-box touches	8	51
Through passes	0	2
Offsides	1	1
Free kicks	11	12
Pass accuracy	86%	92%
Long passes	49%	42%
Final-third pass accuracy	60%	90%
Crosses	0%	26%
xA	0.13	3.59
Throw-ins	8	12
Fouls	12	11
Tackles won	43%	67%
Duels won	36	36
Clearances	17	7
Interceptions	4	6
Errors leading to shot	2	1
Errors leading to goal	0	0
Saves	6	3
xGOT faced	1.69	0.10
Goals prevented	0.69	0.10
Goal kicks	12	4

Statistics source: Flashscore.mobi

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Final Verdict

Napoli 0–1 Arsenal was a match where the final score significantly understated Arsenal's statistical superiority.

The Gunners produced 26 shots to Napoli's five, created five big chances compared with none, and accumulated 4.04 xG against just 0.23.

Their dominance was also evident in the penalty area, where Arsenal recorded 51 touches compared with Napoli's eight.

Arsenal's passing was another major strength. They completed 92% of their passes overall and 90% of their passes in the final third, allowing them to sustain pressure and repeatedly attack Napoli's defensive structure.

The only major criticism of Arsenal's performance is their finishing. With 4.04 xG and five big chances, they had enough opportunities to win by a much wider margin.

Nevertheless, Martin Ødegaard's 75th-minute strike was enough.

Napoli's goalkeeper and some missed Arsenal chances kept the contest alive, but the underlying statistics make the result clear: Arsenal controlled the match and deserved their 1–0 victory.

 

Statistics Source: Flashscore.mobi