Gunners Cruise Past Slavia Prague with Historic Eighth Consecutive Clean Sheet
Arsenal delivered a commanding performance in Prague on Tuesday, effortlessly dispatching Slavia Prague 3-0 to not only extend their unbeaten run but also equal a monumental club record that had stood for 121 years: eight consecutive matches without conceding a goal.
The victory, which sends the Gunners to the top of their Champions League group, was orchestrated by an unlikely hero. With regular strikers rested, Mikel Merino, starting in a makeshift forward role, rose to the occasion with a brilliant brace, while the ever-reliable Bukayo Saka opened the scoring from the penalty spot.
The home side started brightly, pressing high and causing a few moments of early concern for the Arsenal defence. However, the visitors soon settled into their rhythm and took control of the match. Their breakthrough came from a corner, where a VAR review spotted a handball, prompting referee Aliyar Aghayev to point to the spot. Saka stepped up and coolly sent goalkeeper Jakub Markovič the wrong way to silence the home crowd.
Any hopes of a Slavia comeback were extinguished just 30 seconds after the restart. Declan Rice found Leandro Trossard on the wing, who beat his defender and whipped in a perfect left-footed cross for Merino to tap in from close range.
The Spanish midfielder then put the game beyond doubt midway through the second half, capitalizing on a misjudgment from Markovič to meet another dangerous Rice cross with a clever header for his second of the night.
Slavia Prague thought they had found a late consolation when the referee awarded them a penalty for a high boot from substitute Ben White, but VAR correctly intervened to overturn the decision. The Czech side managed only a single, tame shot on target in stoppage time, which was comfortably gathered by David Raya.
While Slavia battled bravely in spells, they were ultimately outclassed by the Premier League leaders, who saw out the match with professional ease. The focus now shifts to domestic duties, with Arsenal travelling to Sunderland on Saturday, hoping to carry this formidable form back into their Premier League campaign.
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