How did Arsenal players do during the international break?


Odegaard

How did Arsenal players do during the international break?

By Oscar Maung-Haley


With Premier League action back underway after the international break, we take a look at how Arsenal’s international contingent got on during the recent World Cup qualifiers.

EUROPE


By far the largest continent in terms of Arsenal action, the European World Cup qualifiers saw Bukayo Saka, Bernd Leno, Martin Odegaard, Kieran Tierney, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Sead Kolasinac all feature.

We’ll start with starboy Saka.

The 20-year-old winger played twice for England during the international break, coming off the bench in a 4-0 win over Hungary before scoring days later in a 4-0 win over Andorra.

So good was Saka against Andorra, he bagged Man of the Match for his stellar performance on his birthday.

Saka

And his goal was also his second for England, with the wide-man having now made 11 appearances for the senior side in an incredibly short space of time.

If the Gunners are to get their season back on track, they will almost certainly need to rely even more upon Saka’s services.

Summer signing Odegaard also played a pivotal role in helping Norway during their recent qualifiers.

The midfielder started all three of Norway’s games, helping them to a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands and 2-0 and 5-1 wins over Latvia and Gibraltar respectively.

With six games gone in Group G, Odegaard’s Norway sit joint top alongside the Netherlands, two points clear of Turkey in third.

Between the sticks, Leno kept a clean sheet for Germany in a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein before returning the gloves to Manuel Neuer for their other two internationals.

Full-back Tierney played in all three of Scotland’s qualifiers.


And while he was unable to help them past Denmark, where they lost 2-0, the defender did help the Scots to 1-0 wins over Moldova and Austria.

The wins over Moldova and Austria mean Scotland sit second in Group F, a point ahead of Israel but seven points behind group leaders Denmark.

After being named in Belgium’s Euro 2020 provisional squad, midfielder Lokonga went one step better, making his debut off the bench for Roberto Martinez’s side in a 5-2 win against Estonia.

Kolasinac started in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s impressive 1-1 draw against France.

Away from the senior matches, England U21 forward Folarin Balogun came on off the bench in their 2-0 over Kosovo.

And Granit Xhaka would have almost certainly played for Switzerland had he not unfortunately caught COVID-19.

PEA

AFRICA

In the African World Cup qualifiers, Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang featured twice for Gabon.

Unfortunately for the skipper however, he was unable to help Gabon to a win in either tie, as they lost 2-1 to Libya before drawing 1-1 with Egypt.

ASIA

Arsenal new boy Takehiro Tomiyasu starred for Japan in their 1-0 win over China in the Asian World Cup qualifiers.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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