Slavia Prague 1-2 Arsenal: Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres on target as Gunners survive second-half scare
Report as Arsenal move up to third in Champions League league phase table with 2-1 win over Slavia Prague; Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres scored as the Gunners withstood second-half pressure to continue their unbeaten start in the competition
Wednesday 4 November 2026 22:26, UK
Arsenal held off a second-half fightback from Slavia Prague to win 2-1 at the Fortuna Arena and continue their unbeaten start to the season in the Champions League.
The Gunners, runners-up last term, appeared on course for an emphatic victory after scoring twice through Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres in a one-sided first half.
But Slavia roared back into the contest in the second period and gave Arsenal a scare as Wiktor Nowak's late goal from close range set up a nervous finale for Mikel Arteta's side.
- As it happened | How the teams lined up | Match stats
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Arsenal hung on to claim their third win in four Champions League games but needed a goal-line clearance from Gabriel Magalhaes and several saves from David Raya, who brilliantly pushed an Oskar Kubiak header against the post shortly before Slavia's goal.
Slavia had 17 shots in the second half, having only had one before the break as Arsenal were made to work for a result which looked a foregone conclusion after their dominant start.
Arteta freshened up his side with six changes from Sunday's 1-0 win over Liverpool and Arsenal scored their early opener when Madueke finished coolly having been put through on goal by Gyokeres.
The striker added the second with a sumptuous, curling finish after combining with Mikel Merino but Arsenal missed chances to extend their lead before the break and Slavia responded.
A switch from a back four to a back three allowed the hosts to commit more bodies forward and they created a succession of chances as Arsenal were made to sweat for their victory, which sees them move up to third in the league phase table.
Key moments from Prague
- 9: GOAL! Madueke latches onto Gyokeres's pass and finishes coolly through the legs of the goalkeeper
- 16: SAVE! Eberechi Eze tees up Merino for a shot from the edge of the box which has to be tipped over by Nazar Domchak
- 24: OVER! Arsenal miss a big chance as Merino heads over from Gyokeres's knockdown at the back post
- 38: GOAL! Gyokeres curls a superb finish in off the post for Arsenal's second after a one-two with Merino
- 42: CLOSE! Gabriel has a header cleared off the line following a corner as Arsenal push for a third
- 46: SAVE! Slavia start the half brightly as Ozar Kubiak's drive from the edge of the box has to be pushed away by Raya
- 72: SHOT! Madueke slams an angled shot too close to Domchak
- 75: OFF THE LINE! Gabriel heads the ball off the line before Raya pushes Slavia's follow-up effort around the post
- 79 : CHANCE! Mikulas Konecny heads a big chance into the ground when he should test Raya
- 83 OFF THE POST! Kubiak's header is acrobatically pushed onto the post by Raya
- 90: GOAL! Nowak taps into an empty net from a left wing cross
- 90+4: CLOSE! Stepan Chaloupek wastes a chance to equalise as he sends a late header wide
