Arsenal survived a second-half fightback from Slavia Prague to win 2-1 at the Fortuna Arena, maintaining their unbeaten Champions League start. The Gunners, runners-up last season, appeared on course for an emphatic victory after Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres scored in a dominant first half. However, Slavia roared back in the second period, with Wiktor Nowak's late goal setting up a tense finale. Arsenal needed a goal-line clearance from Gabriel Magalhaes and several saves from David Raya to secure the win, which moves them up to third in the league phase table.
Gyokeres, who had failed to score in his first 10 appearances, found the net with a curling finish after combining with Mikel Merino. His all-round performance, including creating Madueke's opener, showed signs of improvement. Manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged the team's sloppy second half but emphasized the difficulty of winning away in the Champions League. Despite missing chances to extend their lead, Arsenal held on for a crucial victory.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing