Gyokeres shines as Arsenal squeeze past Slavia Praha

Arsenal extended their unbeaten run in this season’s UEFA Champions League campaign with an edgy 1-2 victory over Czech Republic outfit, Slavia Praha. 

The Gunners took the lead in Prague just nine minutes into the game, via a right-footed strike from within the 18-yard area, doing enough to hold off the defender and slot past the keeper into the bottom right corner. Viktor Gyokeres with the assist, after some great hold-up play. 

It wasn’t long until Mikel Arteta’s side struck again, this time through Swede, Viktor Gyokeres, who came into the lineup tonight as one of six changes the gaffer made. The goal comes from scrappy play from the home side within their own penalty area, giving the ball away cheaply to the away side. Declan Rice picked out World Cup winner, Mikel Merino who slipped in Gyokeres on the left side of the area, who expertly opens his body up to reverse the ball towards the opposing post to make it two-nil to the Arsenal in Europe. 

Gyokeres’ goal tallied him up to five goal contributions in five games, netting three times and contributing two assists. 

The referee blows for halftime with the London side in control. Eight shots for the Gunners compared to Praha’s one. Of those eight attempts on goal, half of them were on target including two goals from Madueke and Gyokeres. Arsenal dominated possession with 60% of the ball. Other chances for Arsenal were unsuccessful, by Merino who headed just over the bar and later on in the half, by Gabriel Magalhaes headed towards goal, but a Slavia defender was there to clear his lines. 

However, Eberechi Eze will be frustrated with his first half of football, having the most touches in Praha’s box (5) and completing the most dribbles of any player in the first fourty-five minutes (4). 

The second half was rather quiet for Arsenal with very little attacking threat other than a couple half chances. Ezri Konsa and Declan Rice picked up bookings in the 53rd and 68th minute respectively. 

Minutes were given to the captain, Martin Ødegaard, Christos Tzolis, Christian Mosquera, Jurrien Timber, and teenager Max Dowman replacing the goal scorer Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Ezri Konsa, Ben White and winger Noni Madueke respectively. 

The majority of the second half chances fell to the home side who, accumulated a total of  — shots on goal, with — of those resulting in David Raya saves. 

Big chances included the Arsenal number one having to be called into action just twenty-two seconds after the restart. Kubiak shifted the ball to his right foot outside the box and let fly forcing David Raya to palm the ball clear of his left corner. 

Arsenal continued the half on the back foot, inviting Slavia Praha pressure onto them, and the Czech side failed to convert another big chance in the 75th minute as a result of a corner, where David Raya fails to effectively deal with a corner, the ball stays within the penalty area and Gabriel is called into action to clear the ball off the line with his head as a result of Slavia pressure onto Arsenal’s goalkeeper. Kowak was then taken out by Merino on the edge of the six-yard box, with VAR checking and clearing any thoughts of a penalty being awarded to Praha. 

Arsenal were punished by playing a very passive second half with striker, Wiktor Nowak tapping home into an empty net courtesy of a delightful set-piece cross from substitute, David Jurásek. 

Arsenal nervously held onto the 1-2 lead until the added five minutes were up and will head back to London with all three points, despite an unconvincing second half showing at the Fortuna Arena. The win moves the Gunners up to 10 points, and up to third in the league phase table, two points behind leaders PSG and second placed Real Madrid. 

Article by North Bank Insider on X