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.
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.
Noni Madueke celebrates putting Arsenal in front at Slavia Prague
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.
Analysis: Gyokeres finding form
Gyokeres didn’t score a single goal in his first 10 appearances of the season for Arsenal but his brilliantly-taken effort against Slavia Prague makes it two in his last three following his goal in the Carabao Cup tie against Fleetwood Town last week.
He will need to do it against stronger opposition if he is to prove he should usurp Kai Havertz as Arteta’s first-choice No 9. But this was an encouraging display which suggests the Sweden international might be turning a corner after a tough start to the campaign.
His goal, immaculately dispatched into the far corner from the left-hand side of the box, will be his biggest source of satisfaction. But there were signs of improvement in his all-round game too.
Gyokeres created the opener smart pass around the corner for Madueke and had plenty of other bright moments which his back to goal, linking the play tidily, bringing others to play, and ultimately making an invaluable contribution to a hard-fought victory.
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
