Arsenal Beat Slavia Prague 2-1 to Move Up to Third in Champions League Table

Arsenal beat Slavia Prague 2-1 at the Fortuna Arena on Matchday 4 of the Champions League. The win lifts Mikel Arteta's side to third place with 10 points from four games. They remain unbeaten in the competition this season.

Arsenal were excellent in the first half. Noni Madueke scored in the 9th minute. Viktor Gyokeres played him through on the right, and he finished low past the young Slavia goalkeeper. Gyokeres made it 2-0 in the 38th minute after good work with Mikel Merino.

Madueke has been a useful stand-in for the injured Bukayo Saka. Nine of his last 10 goals for Arsenal have come away from home.

The second half was far tougher. Slavia switched to a back three and attacked with more energy. They had 17 shots in the second half. That ties the most any team has managed in a single half against Arsenal under Arteta in the competition.

Gabriel cleared a header off the goal line. David Raya made several important saves. He also watched a Oskar Kubiak header hit the post. Slavia finally scored in the 90th minute. Wiktor Nowak bundled in from close range after a cross from David Jurasek. Arsenal then held on through stoppage time.

Arteta made six changes from the side that played Liverpool last time out. White, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Merino, Eze and Gyokeres all came into the team.

This was a good bounce-back for Arsenal. They had drawn 2-2 with Bayern Munich on the previous matchday. That draw ended their perfect start. They now have three wins and one draw. They sit two points behind Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.

Slavia remain on just one point in 34th place. They are now 23 games without a win in the competition. That is one short of the all-time record held by AEK Athens.

Arsenal host Hull City in the Premier League on Saturday. Their next Champions League game is at home to Borussia Dortmund on November 24.