Arsenal edge past Slavia Praha 2-1 in Champions League
What's the story
Arsenal FC overcame a second-half resurgence from Slavia Praha Prague to win 2-1 at the Fortuna Arena. The victory keeps their unbeaten streak alive in this season's UEFA Champions League. Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres scored for the Gunners in a dominant first half, but Wiktor Nowak's late goal gave Arsenal a scare.
Match highlights
A look at the match summary
The Gunners took an early lead when Madueke coolly slotted home Gyokeres's pass.
The striker doubled the lead with a stunning finish after a one-two with Mikel Merino.
However, Slavia Prague fought back in the second half, creating several chances.
They finally found the net through Nowak in the 90th minute, but it wasn't enough to deny Arsenal their third win of the tournament.
Defensive stand
Raya and Gabriel's heroics
Despite the late scare, Arsenal held on to their lead with some solid defending.
Gabriel Magalhaes made a crucial goal-line clearance while David Raya pulled off a string of saves, including a stunning one from an Oskar Kubiak header just before Slavia's goal.
The Gunners had six changes in their starting XI from Sunday's win over Liverpool, showing Arteta's tactical flexibility and squad depth.
Tactical shift
Slavia Prague's 2nd-half resurgence
A switch from a back four to a back three allowed the hosts to push more bodies forward.
They created a flurry of chances in the second half, testing Arsenal's defense.
Despite their dominant start, the Gunners were made to sweat for their victory as they missed opportunities to extend their lead before the break.
Points
3rd-placed Arsenal remain unbeaten in UCL this season
Arsenal's victory over Slavia Prague have taken them to third place in the league phase table among 36 sides.
From 4 matches, Arsenal own 10 points (W3 D1) and remain one of the four sides to remain unbeaten this season.
Meanwhile, the Gunners are now unbeaten in their last 10 away European matches, a testament to their growing dominance on the continent.
Meanwhile, Slavia Praha are placed 34th with a draw and three defeats from 4 games.