Odegaard Scores in 72nd Minute as Arsenal Beat Hull City 1-0 to Go Six Points Clear

Arsenal beat Hull City 1-0 at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7, with captain Martin Odegaard scoring the only goal in the 72nd minute. The win was Arsenal's ninth in ten Premier League matches this season and extended their lead at the top of the table to six points heading into the international break, USA Today and Arseblog News reported.

Odegaard decided a game that Arsenal had controlled without breaking through for more than an hour. Noni Madueke beat his defender down the right and fired a low shot toward the near post. Hull goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis parried the ball back into the area, and Odegaard was first to the rebound, slotting it past the goalkeeper with Hull's defenders tiring. It was the Arsenal captain's third Premier League goal of the season.

Hull frustrate the leaders for an hour

Newly promoted Hull pressed Arsenal early instead of sitting deep, and they created the first clear chance of the game. David Raya got down well to stop a low drive from Elliot Stroud, and a follow-up effort from Mohamed Cho was blocked. Arsenal improved as the half went on. Declan Rice and Christos Tzolis both tested Tzolakis, Tzolis volleyed over from a move involving Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber, and Bruno Guimaraes played Havertz through on goal only for the forward to be caught as he tried to come back onto his left foot.

Penalty appeal ends in a free kick for Hull

The strangest moment of the match came just before half time. Havertz was pulled inside the box by defender Nobel Mendy, and VAR sent referee Farai Hallam to the screen. Hallam and the VAR concluded that Havertz had been in an offside position when the ball was played toward him, so instead of a penalty, Hull were awarded a free kick. TNT Sports and Football London both reported the decision as a major talking point in a goalless first half.

Substitutes raise the tempo, Odegaard finishes it

Mikel Arteta made his first changes with half an hour to play, sending on Viktor Gyokeres and Mikel Merino for Havertz and Rice. Piero Hincapie and Eberechi Eze then replaced Riccardo Calafiori and Tzolis. The pressure built, and Odegaard's goal followed three minutes later. Arsenal kept attacking instead of sitting on the lead. Gyokeres, Merino and Eze all tested Tzolakis, and Madueke rounded the goalkeeper late on but was crowded out before he could finish. Hull pushed forward with long balls and free kicks in the closing minutes but did not create a clear chance to equalise.

Arsenal finished with 67 percent possession and 21 shots to Hull's seven, with ten shots on target to two and seven corners to four, according to the match statistics published by Arseblog News. Hull collected five yellow cards to Arsenal's none. Arteta had made five changes from the side that beat Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Wednesday, bringing in Timber, Guimaraes, Odegaard, Tzolis and Havertz. William Saliba was not in the squad, with his fitness being managed and no fresh injury concern reported.