Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka was the hero on a challenging night in the Arctic Circle, firing home in an occasionally-nervy 1-0 win over FK Bodø/Glimt that maintained the Gunners’ 100% record in Group A of the UEFA Europa League.A graveyard of several bigger teams last season, the Aspmyra Stadion greeted a much-rotated Arsenal side with fireworks, and the artificial surface initially made the Premier League leaders look like damp squibs, with Bodø enjoying much early momentum. But the Gunners grew as a unit and went ahead through Bukayo Saka in the 24th minute, when the England winger found space on the right after a succession of passes and played a deft one-two with Fábio Vieira, before darting into the area and finishing via a deflection.Proving hot to handle on a cold night, an ever-dangerous Amahl Pellegrino nearly got a quickfire equaliser shortly after the opener. He was played in one-on-one by a long ball that evaded a ponderous Arsenal backline, but Matt Turner – with an eleventh win in 12 competitive outings on the line – was quickly out of his area to nullify the threat and do his bit to ensure the Gunners led at halftime.The American was on hand again shortly after the interval to keep Arsenal in front, with Pellegrino once more searing down the left and firing a shot aimed for the opposite corner. This time he was on target, but Turner made a low save with his teammates’ hearts in their mouths. Any terror Arsenal might have felt in that moment was then repeated two-fold just before the hour mark, with Ola Solbakken firing over the bar from close range after another concentration lapse in the Gunners’ backline.Arsenal have ended a 14-game winning streak at home for FK Bodø/Glimt in European competitions. ✅ pic.twitter.com/ECl4ITWgHi— TheAFCnewsroom (@TheAFCnewsroom) October 13, 2022 With Mikel Arteta sensing that his less-experienced first-teamers were struggling, the Spaniard brought on Granit Xhaka in place of Saka in an attempt to stem the worst of the pressure. The change seemed to work, and Premier League stamina won the night, as Arsenal closed the game out to make it 11 UEL group stage away games unbeaten, additionally ending Bodø’s run of 14 successive home wins in continental action.Elsewhere, Real Betis all but secured qualification to the knockout stages after holding AS Roma to a 1-1 draw at the Estadio Benito Villamarín. Los Verdiblancos dropped points on home soil for the first time this season, but are now unbeaten in each of their last 11 group games in this competition (W6, D5).José Mourinho’s men arrived in the glorious Seville sunshine in must-win territory after defeat in the reverse fixture last time out. His side dominated the early stages without overly working Claudio Bravo, and were eventually punished for their wastefulness just after the half-hour mark. Sergio Canales, consistently Betis’ most dangerous player throughout, saw his shot from the edge of the area deflect off Roger Ibañez and beyond the goalkeeper.The Giallorossi thought they had a reprieve in first-half stoppage time when Andrea Belotti headed home, but the offside flag would deny the Italian, ensuring Roma were behind at the break. Moments after the restart, VAR would come to the visitors’ rescue to award the equaliser. Mady Camara, initially adjudged to have been offside, squared for Belotti to tap in, ending with Roman relief after an excruciatingly long review of the decision.There was a bizarre lack of urgency on display from Roma as the game approached its closing stages. The visitors needed a win to keep hopes of automatic qualification to the last 16 alive, but there appeared very little desire to chase the contest, as Manuel Pellegrini’s men effectively neutralised the contest. Mourinho’s men now know their destiny is not in their own hands to reach the knockout stages, winning just one of their opening four group games.UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – GROUP STAGERound 4ThursdayBodo – Arsenal 0-1 (0-1)/Saka 24/AEK Larnaca – Fenerbahce 1-2 (0-1)/Trickovski 52 pen – Joao Pedro 16, Batshuayi 80 pen,/Dynamo Kyiv – Rennes 0-1 (0-0)/Wooh 48/Betis – Roma 1-1 (1-0)/Canales 34 – Belotti 53/St.Gilloise – Braga 3-3 (1-3)/Boniface 20, 62, Vanzeir 49 – Vitinha 15, 36, 41/Feyenoord – Midtjylland 2-2 (1-1)/Timber 32, Hancko 48 – Martinez 16, Sviatchenko 59/Nantes – Freiburg 0-4 (0-1)/Kubler 26, Gregoritsch 71, Schade 82, Woo Yeong 87/Qarabag – Olympiakos 0-022:00: (2.55) Ferencvaros (3.30) Crvena Zvezda (3.00)22:00: (1.27) PSV (7.00) Zurich (10.5)22:00: (1.63) Ludogorets (4.10) Helsinki (6.25)22:00: (1.40) Union Berlin (5.10) Malmo (10.0)22:00: (1.13) Man.Utd. (11.0) Omonia (19.0)22:00: (1.27) Sociedad (6.25) Sheriff Tiraspol (13.0)22:00: (1.53) Lazio (4.50) Sturm (7.25)22:00: (3.50) Trabzon (3.50) Monaco (2.24)*** odds are subject to change***©FlashScore
