November 04, (THEWILL) — Arsenal extended their flawless UEFA Champions League campaign with a 3-0 triumph over Slavia Prague on Tuesday night.
The victory maintained the Gunners’ perfect record in the competition whilst setting two remarkable milestones during proceedings in the Czech capital.
Bukayo Saka opened the scoring from the penalty spot after half an hour, converting following a handball decision awarded by VAR against Slavia captain Lukáš Provod.
The hosts had employed an aggressive man-to-man defensive system that initially troubled Mikel Arteta’s side, with William Saliba frequently positioned in midfield due to the unusual tactical approach.
Arsenal gradually found their rhythm through set pieces before the breakthrough penalty gave them control.
Mikel Merino doubled the advantage within 30 seconds of the restart, converting Leandro Trossard’s cross after being left unmarked in the Slavia box.
The Spaniard, deployed in an advanced role due to Viktor Gyökeres’s absence, added a third goal with 20 minutes remaining when he connected with Declan Rice’s delivery following a Jakub Markovič error.
The clean sheet represented Arsenal’s ninth consecutive match without conceding, breaking a 122-year club record.
Max Dowman’s second-half substitute appearance made him the youngest player ever to feature in Champions League history at just 15 years old.
A late penalty awarded to the hosts for a Ben White challenge was overturned by VAR, preserving the visiting defence’s shut-out streak.
Arsenal now sit atop the league phase table following their ninth consecutive victory across all competitions.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
