Bukayo Saka was thrilled his fortuitous goal gave Arsenal a hard-fought 1-0 away win at Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League to continue their strong start to the season.
A lovely move in the 24th minute gave Saka the ball in the box and, though his initial shot was deflected, it came back off the 21-year-old and nestled into the back of the net to put the Gunners ahead.
Though they underwent spells of sustained pressure in the second period as the hosts pushed for an equaliser, Arsenal held on to make it 11 wins from 12 in all competitions to start the campaign and put them on nine points at the top of Group A.
Bodo had won 14 consecutive home games in European competition prior to the defeat and Saka knew it would be hard work putting an end to that run.
"It was very difficult, and we knew that before," Saka told BT Sport. "There's no way they can win their last 14 games in Europe here and we'll come here and it will be easy."
Asked about his unorthodox winner, the England international added: "I think it came off my lips!"
Bodo had multiple chances to level the game, with Amahl Pellegrino spurning a couple of great opportunities while Runar Espejord and Ola Solbakken also went close.
But Saka had little sympathy for the Norwegian champions after the match, recounting previous experiences of being on the end of unjust results.
"This is football, if you don't score you get punished," Saka added. "We've had games like that and we've left the game feeling quite hard done by, but you quickly learn this is football.
"It was quite end-to-end, it was quite difficult. I feel like they were on us for quite a big period, especially in the second half.
"They did well. That's why it's extra nice for us to leave here with three points because we know how difficult it was out there."
Arsenal return to London with another three points, but Saka wants his team-mates to re-sharpen their focus ahead of Sunday's Premier League trip to Leeds United, who are yet to lose at Elland Road this season.
"We have to be happy with the three points and focus on Sunday," he added.
"Like I always say, we have to keep focus on each game because each game is coming every three days and it's getting more and more difficult, so we have to keep our focus as high as ever and try and win each game."
When questioned on his own personal goals, Saka replied: "To win.
"It's the most important thing for me. I'm a big believer in being a team player first, so if the team wins, I leave the pitch happy."
Will Still leaves Reims job with immediate effect
Will Still has left his role as Reims head coach with immediate effect, the Ligue 1 club announced on Thursday.
Still took over as Reims boss – initially on an interim basis – after Oscar Garcia was sacked in October 2022 and went unbeaten through his first 19 league games at the helm.
The 31-year-old was eventually handed the role on a permanent basis and led Reims to an 11th-placed finish in Ligue 1 in 2022-23, with his lack of a UEFA Pro Licence causing the club to be fined €25,000 per match until he began the course.
Reims are currently 11th in Ligue 1 again, though they are winless in their last five games and have lost each of their last three.
In a statement, the club said: "Following a meeting this morning between president Jean-Pierre Caillot, general manager Mathieu Lacour and head coach Will Still, it was mutually agreed that the two parties would not continue the sporting adventure together next season.
"In order to allow Reims to confidently look forward to the next year, it was also decided that Will Still and his deputy Nicolas Still would step down from their respective functions as of today."
Still was linked with the Sunderland job earlier this season and said in February that he would be open to joining an "ambitious" Championship club.
Al Ittihad 1-2 Al Hilal: Holders into King's Cup final
Al Hilal overcame Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's red card as Saud Abdulhamid's late goal sealed a 2-1 victory over Al Ittihad in the King's Cup semi-finals.
Without Karim Benzema, Al Ittihad ultimately lacked the firepower to make their numerical advantage count in Tuesday's clash.
Former Lazio midfielder, who joined Al Hilal as part of their spending spree last year, received a straight red card in the 42nd minute.
Al Ittihad's Abderrazzaq Hamed-Allah cancelled out Micheal's opener, but Abdulhamid popped up with the winner in the 81st minute.
Al Hilal are 10-time King's Cup winners, having won their 10th title last season.
The Saudi Pro League leaders, who are still without the injured Neymar, will now face either Al Khaleej or Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr in the final at the end of May.
Data Debrief: Malcom in the middle
Al Hilal might be missing their star Brazilian Neymar, but his compatriot Malcom is delivering when it comes to playmaking.
The former Zenit attacker set up both of Al Hilal's goals, creating three chances in total and registering a pass accuracy of 92.6 per cent, better than any of his team-mates.
Former Spain boss Del Bosque to oversee RFEF
Former Spain boss Vicente del Bosque will oversee a new committee supervising the RFEF.
Spain, which is due to be one of six host countries for the 2030 World Cup, announced the creation of a special committee until the federation holds elections to replace Luis Rubiales.
That is despite Pedro Rocha having this week been appointed as Rubiales' replacement, though he himself is under investigation amid a corruption probe.
Rubiales was dismissed following his unsolicited kiss on Jenni Hermoso during the Women's World Cup trophy ceremony in 2023.
The federation's former president was then arrested in early April as part of a corruption investigation.
Del Bosque led Spain to three consecutive trophies, winning the European Championships in 2008 and 2012, while also leading the team to their first World Cup success in 2010.
Prior to his time with the national team, he also won two Champions Leagues and two LaLiga titles while in charge of Real Madrid, where he made over 400 appearances as a player.
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