Tomas Holes scored in injury-time to give the Czech side a first-leg advantage after Nicolas Pépé had scored for Arsenal
Updated
Thu 8 Apr 2021 17.49 EDT
First published on Thu 8 Apr 2021 13.45 EDT
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Arteta's reaction
The Arsenal manager laments his side’s failure to see the game out after taking the lead late on. “The game was under control ... then we played two or three balls that we shouldn’t do and then we conceded the corner. They put a lot of big boys in there and then anything can happen. “ But he remains confident his team can prevail in the second leg. “The final result leaves a difficult taste. But the mindset is to go there and win the game.”
Full-time: Arsenal 1-1 Slavia
The Czechs have the advantage going into the second leg thanks to Holes’ late away goal. Arsenal were sluggish for most of the match but were given impetus by late substitutions. Two of them - Aubameyang and Pepe - combined to make a breakthrough at least and seemingly give Arsenal a precious first-leg lead. But they couldn’t hold on to their lead for even a few minutes, wilting under pressure again. Slavia celebrated at the final whistle as if they think they’ve done the hardest part of this tie. Arsenal will have a job on their hands to prove them wrong.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Slavia ( Holes 90+4)
Slavia have stolen an away goal in the final seconds! Arteta throws his hands to his face! IT came from a crisply delivered corner by Provod. Pépé could only deflect it onwards from the edge of the six-yard box and Holes beat Soares to it at the back post to send a plunging header into the net!
90+3 min: Masopust and Provod comebine slinikily on the right and then Provod surprises everyone by unloading a ferocious let-footed shot from a difficult angle. Leno reacts well to push it it for a corner!
90+1 min: Arteta roars at Leno for taking too long over a goalkick, as if the Arsenal manager is the only who realises there is an opportunity to increase their first-leg lead in the remaining minutes.
90 min: There will be at least four more minutes.
Arsenal substitution: Ceballos on, Smith Rowe off.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Slavia (Pépé 86)
The substitutes make the difference and Arsenal have the goal they wanted! Aubameyang did well to outfight Zima to collect a long clearance from Xhaka, and then the Gabon international slipped a pass through for Pépé, who outpaced the retreating Zima and dinked the ball over the advancing keeper!
Slavia substitution: Traoré on, Olayinka off.
Slavia substitution: Masopust on, Stanciu off.
82 min: Pépé plays lays a square pass off to Martinelli, about 20 yards out. The newcomer shoots first time, forcing the keeper to palm it over for another corner. The pressure from Arsenal is building ...
80 min: Pépé wins a corner. Arsenal are finally playing with the tempo and intensity they should have shown from the start. Can they get the goal they crave?
78 min: Aubameyang almost makes his mark immediately, but pokes just wide after cute play between him, Smith Rowe and Pépé.
Arsenal substitutions: Aubameyang, Pepe and Elneny on, Lacazette, Sakar and Partey off.
77 min: Kuchta skips past Holding easily down the left and then crosses. From in front of goal Soares hooks it away, but only as far as Sevick 10 yards out. The midfielder bangs a shot badly wide! That could have been their away goal, instead it’s a big escape for Arsenal.
75 min: Good work by Lacazette down the left to win possession and then deliver a useful cross. The ball breaks to Partey, who has been disappointing today, and from the edge of the box the midfielder curls a low shot a yard wide.
74 min: You can almost sense a goal coming in this. Slavia are becoming increasingly confident going forward, and Arsenal have found a little more urgency.
Arsenal substitution: Martinelli on, Willian off.
72 min: Kuchta shows his strength to hold off Gabriel and and then motor into the box. but Gabriel leaps to his feet and chases back to regain possession.
70 min: Martinelli is warming up for Arsenal as Arteta considers ways to sharpen up his attack. No sign of Aubameyang being readied yet though.
Slavia substitutions: Kuchta and Linger on, Dorley and Sima off.
65 min: Slavia seem to fancy their chances of nicking an away goal and have become more ambitious in the last few minutes. That is leaving Arsenal with more counter-attacking opportunities. Saka leads the latest one, firing a dangerous cross whizzing across the face of goal. Lacazette stretches to meet it but can’t divert it on the target.
62 min: Sevcik tries to trick his way past Lacazette near half-way. The Frenchman isn’t fooled. He nicks the ball off Sevcik and suddenly he has a clear run at Slavia’s goal from over 50 yards out! He chugs forward, just fast enough to remain ahead of the retreating defender, and when the keeper comes to meet him near the edge of the area, Lacazette steers the shot around him ... and onto the crossbar! And a defender prevents Smith Rowe from collecting the rebound!
60 min: Willian gives the ball away. Then he chases back to win back possession in his own half. Then he gives the ball away again with another slack pass. Someone somewhere is counting all these misplaces passes, all I can do is tell you Arsenal have committed far too many of them.
58 min: Slavia play their way out nicely from the back, and suddenly Provod is romping into Arsenal’s territory with Boril bombing forward to his left. He duly slips the ball through to Boril, whose shot from 18 yards is a little bobbly. Leno blocks, to Arsenal’s relief.
56 min: Saka remains Arsenal’s most threatening outlet but he has just ruined a dangerous break by overhitting a cross from the right when Lacazette and Smith Rowe and Soares were waiting for a presentable delivery.
53 min: Gabriel is down receiving treatment on his left ankle after being caught by Sima as the pair contested a high ball/
51 min: Gabriel dashes across to cut out a through-ball towards Stanciu, at the expense of a corner. That could have been averted if the communication between Gabriel and Leno had been better. The corner triggers a flurry of pressure but Arsenal eventually scramble the ball away.
49 min: Willian curls the freekick from the right-hand corner of the box around the wall ... and it crashes against the outside of the post!
48 min: Bellerin curls a low pass around the right back, giving Saka a chance to chase. Zima resorts to pulling the winger back, a blatant foul just outside the box. Arsenal have a freekick, Zima gets a booking.
47 min: A sloppy start to the second period by Arsenal, as they are forced back by Slavia’s pressing and then Leno kicks the ball straight out of play when attempting a simple pass to Soares.