Arsenal enjoyed a record-breaking night amid a 3–0 victory over Slavia Prague, ensuring they maintained their perfect start to their Champions League campaign.
A ninth clean sheet in succession broke a 122-year record, while 15-year-old Max Dowman became the youngest player in the competition’s history when he appeared off the bench in the second half.
Arsenal had been troubled by their spirited hosts in the opening period, but were able to ease to another three points when Mikel Merino, who was redeployed up top in Viktor Gyökeres’s absence, scored immediately after the half-time interval to double their lead.
Merino added a third for the visitors to confirm their victory, after Bukayo Saka opened the scoring from the penalty spot on the half-hour mark.
Slavia Prague were well aware of the challenge that greeted them on Tuesday night, with David Doudera, who started on the bench for the hosts, claiming ahead of kick-off that Arsenal “have almost no weaknesses”.
The Gunners entered the bout on a nine-game winning run and with a perfect record in this competition. They hadn’t conceded a goal in over a month, but Slavia’s stout backline has also been key to their recent success, keeping five clean sheets in a row.
Their early intensity and aggression perhaps caught the Gunners off guard, with Mikel Arteta’s men struggling through the opening exchanges before a string of set pieces helped them settle. Eventually, their dead-ball pressure paid dividends, as they were awarded a penalty for Lukáš Provod’s handball that not a single player claimed for in real-time. The video assistant referee (VAR), however, punished Slavia’s captain.
Bukayo Saka tucked the spot-kick home conveniently and confidently. Arsenal continued to look uncomfortable in Czechia’s capital without ever succumbing to any pressure of note. Still, Slavia boasted a nuisance of a target-man up top and had outlets who were willing to break in behind the Gunners' imperious defence.
Salvia Prague must’ve been content with their side’s first-half efforts, but it was seething barely 30 seconds into the restart after Mikel Merino was left unmarked in the Slavia box to convert Leandro Trossard’s cross into a snap shot goal there by leading to the Gunners' second goal .
That early second-half blow ended Slavia’s hopes of an unlikely result, with Arsenal cruising through the remainder of the contest without much fuss. Merino’s second, with 20 minutes remaining, came by virtue of a Jakub Markovič mistake, as the Spaniard flicked home Declan Rice’s lofted cross.
It's zero goals conceded in the last games for the Arsenal . Its another superb win as well as a solid clean sheet. I'm
beginning to wonder if anyone will score against us again this season. Lol ! Just kidding !! Bravo, chaps.
God knows if I was supporting a different team, I'd envy this super Arsenal team.Arteta, Berta you changed our livesssssss. Special thank you. Unto the next match, Sunderland should be scared already!!
