Arsenal could be without Martin Odegaard for Sunday’s game against Tottenham, after he limped off during Norway’s 2-1 win over Austrian in the Nations League.
The Arsenal captain was left clutching his left ankle after an innocuous tangle with Christoph Baumgartner on the hour mark and was helped off the pitch in tears by team-mate Erling Haaland.
Martin Odegaard during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Norway and Austria (Pic – EPA/Fredrik Varfjell)
Odegaard’s apparent injury is a further setback for Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, who is already without the suspended Declan Rice for the clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“He got a small ankle sprain. We will see, maybe we use ultrasound to look at it. If we are unsure, there will be an MRI tomorrow,” team doctor Ola Sand told TV2.
Haaland lashed home his 32nd goal in 35 games for his country in the 80th minute to clinch victory after Felix Myhre’s ninth-minute opener was cancelled out by a Marcel Sabitzer effort shortly before half-time.
France bounced back from Friday’s 3-1 defeat to Italy as goals from Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele earned them a comfortable 2-0 win over Belgium.
Didier Deschamps made a brave call before kick-off by dropping captain Kylian Mbappe to the bench, but it paid off in a convincing performance kick-started by Kolo Muani’s opener on the half-hour.
The Paris St Germain star was in the right place to lash home after Dembele’s initial effort was parried by Koen Casteels, but the Belgian goalkeeper could do nothing about Dembele’s delicious curling effort to make it 2-0 in the 57th minute.
Italy moved three points clear at the top of the group as they built on their win over France with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Israel in Budapest.
A much-changed Italian line-up grabbed the lead when Davide Frattesi chested home a Federico Dimarco cross just before half-time, then the returning Moise Kean made it 2-0 when he fired home on the rebound just past the hour mark.
Israel grabbed a late consolation when Mohammad Abu Fani prodded home through a crowded box in injury time.
Craig Bellamy’s positive start as Wales coach continued as his side flew out of the blocks in Montenegro, two goals in the first three minutes from Kieffer Moore and Harry Wilson paving the way for a 2-1 win.
In the same group, Muhammed Akturkoglu scored a hat-trick as Turkey cruised to a 3-1 win over Iceland in Izmir.
Elsewhere, Benjamin Sesko also scored a hat-trick in Slovenia’s 3-0 win over Kazakhstan, while Romania beat Lithuania 3-1.
