Slavia Prague equaled a negative record in the UEFA Champions League on November 4, 2026, falling 1-2 to Arsenal in a match that left the Czech side winless in the competition for 23 games. The result leaves the home team with one point after four matches, while Arsenal moves to ten points.
A Tale of Two Halves in Eden
Arsenal established control early in the evening at the Eden Stadium. Noni Madueke opened the scoring in the 9th minute after a precise assist from Viktor Gyökeres, who later doubled the lead in the 38th minute by firing a shot off the far post. The visitors dominated the opening period, forcing the hosts into a defensive posture.
Following the interval, the dynamic shifted significantly. Slavia adjusted its formation and increased its pressing intensity, consistently challenging the Arsenal defense. The turnaround forced the English side into a more defensive role for much of the second half.
Tak přeci jen! 𝙒𝙄𝙆𝙏𝙊𝙍 𝙉𝙊𝙒𝘼𝙆 v závěru snížil na 1:2! 💪#NovaSport | #UCL pic.twitter.com/2smobJZcJt
Nowak Scores Late, Misses Equalizer
Slavia’s persistence yielded a result in the 90th minute when Wiktor Nowak tapped in a cross from David Jurásek. The goal set up a tense finish, but the Czech side could not find an equalizer during the five minutes of stoppage time.
Scoring against Arsenal is an amazing feeling. I am happy because it was my first goal in the Champions League, and against such a big club. But I am not satisfied with the result. That’s football. We must keep working hard and believe in our qualities—then it will be good,
Wiktor Nowak, Slavia player
The match featured a moment of controversy in the 76th minute when Nowak went down in the penalty area following a challenge by Mikel Merino. The incident was reviewed by VAR, but no penalty was awarded.
In my opinion, it was a penalty because I touched the ball first and then someone hit me in the head. So I fell to the ground. From my perspective, the referee could definitely have called a penalty,
Wiktor Nowak, Slavia player
Coaches and Players Reflect on the Performance
Slavia captain Tomáš Holeš noted that the team’s initial approach had been too cautious.
Perhaps some of us felt respect and showed it too much. In the second half, we changed that and it looked different. The coach told us that we have to be closer to our opponents and not give them time to build up or make a move. In the first half, we were too far from them and because of that, they had enough time to come up with something with the ball,
Tomáš Holeš, Slavia captain
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faced frustration on the touchline as his team struggled to maintain their initial dominance. Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, who made several key saves, acknowledged the shift in momentum.
Ani tahle double šance slávistickým gólem neskončila! ❌#NovaSport | #UCL pic.twitter.com/Z4hCPHPvB9
In the first half, we played really well, but the second half was completely different. The home side picked up the pace and complicated our path to victory. We have to learn from this. Maybe they pressed a little wider and with more intensity. We lost the ball too much.
David Raya, Arsenal goalkeeper
Tournament Context
Slavia’s 23-game winless streak ties the record previously held by the Romanian club FCSB between 2006 and 2013. The Czech club’s last victory in the competition dates back to September 2007.
Despite the loss, the performance earned recognition for the team’s second-half resurgence. Slavia outshot the visitors 18-12 and held an advantage in expected goals (xG) of 2.23 compared to Arsenal’s 1.49. Slavia will look to break its winless streak when it hosts Villarreal on November 25.
Earlier coverage: Arsenal Edge Slavia Prague 2-1 in Champions League to Move Third in Table
