Arsenal extended their unbeaten streak in the Champions League with a gritty 2-1 victory over Slavia Prague at the Fortuna Arena, overcoming une seconde-half resurgence from their hosts.
The match began strongly for the visitors, as two first-half goals from Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres put Mikel Arteta’s squad in a commanding position. Madueke opened the scoring by calmly finishing off a precise pass from Gyokeres, who then made his own mark on the score sheet with a curling shot after linking up with Mikel Merino.
Arteta’s decision to rotate his squad heavily—making six changes after their 1-0 win against Liverpool on Sunday—seemed to pay dividends early on. Arsenal controlled much of the first half and created multiple chances to extend their lead further.
Slavia Prague’s Second-Half Revival
Despite Arsenal’s dominance in the opening period, the second half unfolded dramatically differently. Slavia Prague adjusted their tactics by shifting to a three-man defense and ramping up their attacking efforts. This change allowed the Czech side to exert sustained pressure on Arsenal’s defense.
Slavia’s offensive surge was evident in their 17 attempts on goal in the second half, a stark contrast to the single shot they managed before the break. Arsenal’s goalkeeper, David Raya, played a pivotal role in keeping his team ahead, making several crucial saves to deny the home side’s advances.
The match tested Arsenal’s resilience as they weathered the storm to ultimately secure all three points, preserving their unbeaten run in Europe’s premier club competition.