Arsenal claimed a 3-2 victory over Newcastle United in a high-paced pre-season friendly held in Singapore, with captain Martin Odegaard scoring the decisive penalty in the 84th minute. Newcastle took an early lead through their new signing Anthony Elanga, who scored inside the sixth minute. Arsenal responded strongly, levelling through Mikel Merino and benefiting from an own goal by Newcastle’s Alex Murphy before halftime.
Newcastle equalized again in the second half through Jacob Murphy, setting up an intense finish. A 15-year-old Arsenal academy talent, Max Dowman, made an electrifying impact after coming on as a substitute, drawing the foul on Joelinton that won the late penalty. Odegaard calmly converted from the spot to secure Arsenal’s victory.
Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal’s new Swedish striker signed from Sporting Lisbon, was unveiled to the Singapore crowd prior to kickoff but did not play. Manager Mikel Arteta expressed satisfaction with the team’s competitiveness and physicality during the match, emphasizing areas for improvement ahead of future fixtures.
The win in Singapore marks Arsenal’s second success on their pre-season trip, following a win against AC Milan. Arsenal now look forward to their next friendly against Tottenham in Hong Kong as they continue preparing for the upcoming season.