ARSENAL MIDFIELDER Max Dowman became the youngest Champions League player ever after coming on as a 73rd-minute substitute at Slavia Prague on Tuesday, as the Gunners prevailed 3-0 this evening.
Dowman, who is 15 years and 309 days old, beat German striker Youssoufa Moukoko, who played for Dortmund at Zenit St Petersburg at 16 years and 18 days in 2020.
Moukoko currently plays for FC Copenhagen, who face Tottenham Hotspur later on Tuesday.
Dowman made his Premier League debut aged 15 years and 234 days during the Gunners’ 5-0 win over Leeds on 23 August.
He is the second-youngest Premiership player ever after Arsenal teammate Ethan Nwaneri, who was 53 days younger on his 2022 debut.
But Dowman became the youngest-ever player to start a match for Arsenal in the Gunners’ 2-0 win over Brighton in the League Cup fourth round last week.
Mikel Merino’s two second-half goals helped Arsenal to a 3-0 win, the Gunners’ fourth in as many games in the competition.
For the Premier League leaders, the result also constituted a 10th straight win in all competitions and an eighth consecutive clean sheet.
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They have now scored 11 goals and conceded none in the Champions League so far as they moved clear at the top of the standings.
Stand-in captain Bukayo Saka opened the scoring from the penalty spot on 32 minutes after Slavia captain Lukas Provod had handled the ball in the box, clearing a corner.
Merino made it 2-0 from a quick breakaway 30 seconds into the second half as he volleyed home at the near post after Leandro Trossard’s superb pass found him unmarked in the Slavia box.
He then beat Slavia goalkeeper Jakub Markovic with a header from Declan Rice’s cross on 68 minutes.
Merino was one of four changes made by Gunners coach Mikel Arteta against Arsenal’s 2-0 league win at Burnley on Saturday.
The game got off to an eventful start as Gabriel Magalhaes blasted wide from outside the box and Provod followed suit at the other end inside the opening two minutes.
Any effort by Slavia to get close to the Arsenal goal stumbled on the Gunners’ rock-solid defence, and the reigning Czech champions failed to produce a single shot on target during the match.
Arsenal were soon on the front foot, dominating possession and creating chances despite missing injured strikers Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli.
Saka alone had three shots on goal within eight minutes, midway through the first half but was denied by Slavia’s Markovic each time.
The goalkeeper also then stopped the Arsenal captain’s low shot from inside the box on 60 minutes.
The loss leaves Slavia, the Czech top-flight leaders, with two points from four games in the Champions League.
Scott McTominay of SSC Napoli during the Uefa Champions League match today. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Elsewhere, Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt played out an uneventful goalless draw on Tuesday which did little for their stuttering Champions League campaigns.
There was little goalmouth action in Naples where both teams ended their evenings on a paltry four points from four matches in this season’s competition.
With a host of matches still to come on Tuesday and Wednesday, Napoli and Eintracht — sat 19th and 18th respectively — are likely to be in the elimination places at the halfway point of the league phase.
Scott McTominay missed the best chance of a frustrating night for the Serie A champions when he blasted over from close range following a a powerful burst down the right flank from his midfield partner Andre-Frank Anguissa.
But while Napoli can at least console themselves with a strong domestic performance thanks to their league lead in Italy, Eintracht have no such comfort.
Eintracht have won once in their last eight matches in all competitions and were also knocked out of the German Cup by Borussia Dortmund last week.
However, Dino Toppmoeller’s team will probably be happier with a point from the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, especially given the hammering dished out to them by Liverpool last time out.
The Germans also earned a draw without the backing of their vociferous support.
Eintracht fans were banned from Tuesday’s match, just as they were two years ago when a small but committed group of hooligans defied authorities and caused chaos in Naples.
No such incidents took place this time out, with the only crowd action of note being the tepid whistles which greeted the end of a forgettable encounter.
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15-year-old makes Champions League history as Arsenal prevail
ARSENAL MIDFIELDER Max Dowman became the youngest Champions League player ever after coming on as a 73rd-minute substitute at Slavia Prague on Tuesday, as the Gunners prevailed 3-0 this evening.
Dowman, who is 15 years and 309 days old, beat German striker Youssoufa Moukoko, who played for Dortmund at Zenit St Petersburg at 16 years and 18 days in 2020.
Moukoko currently plays for FC Copenhagen, who face Tottenham Hotspur later on Tuesday.
Dowman made his Premier League debut aged 15 years and 234 days during the Gunners’ 5-0 win over Leeds on 23 August.
He is the second-youngest Premiership player ever after Arsenal teammate Ethan Nwaneri, who was 53 days younger on his 2022 debut.
But Dowman became the youngest-ever player to start a match for Arsenal in the Gunners’ 2-0 win over Brighton in the League Cup fourth round last week.
Mikel Merino’s two second-half goals helped Arsenal to a 3-0 win, the Gunners’ fourth in as many games in the competition.
For the Premier League leaders, the result also constituted a 10th straight win in all competitions and an eighth consecutive clean sheet.
They have now scored 11 goals and conceded none in the Champions League so far as they moved clear at the top of the standings.
Stand-in captain Bukayo Saka opened the scoring from the penalty spot on 32 minutes after Slavia captain Lukas Provod had handled the ball in the box, clearing a corner.
Merino made it 2-0 from a quick breakaway 30 seconds into the second half as he volleyed home at the near post after Leandro Trossard’s superb pass found him unmarked in the Slavia box.
He then beat Slavia goalkeeper Jakub Markovic with a header from Declan Rice’s cross on 68 minutes.
Merino was one of four changes made by Gunners coach Mikel Arteta against Arsenal’s 2-0 league win at Burnley on Saturday.
The game got off to an eventful start as Gabriel Magalhaes blasted wide from outside the box and Provod followed suit at the other end inside the opening two minutes.
Any effort by Slavia to get close to the Arsenal goal stumbled on the Gunners’ rock-solid defence, and the reigning Czech champions failed to produce a single shot on target during the match.
Arsenal were soon on the front foot, dominating possession and creating chances despite missing injured strikers Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli.
Saka alone had three shots on goal within eight minutes, midway through the first half but was denied by Slavia’s Markovic each time.
The goalkeeper also then stopped the Arsenal captain’s low shot from inside the box on 60 minutes.
The loss leaves Slavia, the Czech top-flight leaders, with two points from four games in the Champions League.
Elsewhere, Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt played out an uneventful goalless draw on Tuesday which did little for their stuttering Champions League campaigns.
There was little goalmouth action in Naples where both teams ended their evenings on a paltry four points from four matches in this season’s competition.
With a host of matches still to come on Tuesday and Wednesday, Napoli and Eintracht — sat 19th and 18th respectively — are likely to be in the elimination places at the halfway point of the league phase.
Scott McTominay missed the best chance of a frustrating night for the Serie A champions when he blasted over from close range following a a powerful burst down the right flank from his midfield partner Andre-Frank Anguissa.
But while Napoli can at least console themselves with a strong domestic performance thanks to their league lead in Italy, Eintracht have no such comfort.
Eintracht have won once in their last eight matches in all competitions and were also knocked out of the German Cup by Borussia Dortmund last week.
However, Dino Toppmoeller’s team will probably be happier with a point from the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, especially given the hammering dished out to them by Liverpool last time out.
The Germans also earned a draw without the backing of their vociferous support.
Eintracht fans were banned from Tuesday’s match, just as they were two years ago when a small but committed group of hooligans defied authorities and caused chaos in Naples.
No such incidents took place this time out, with the only crowd action of note being the tepid whistles which greeted the end of a forgettable encounter.
– © AFP 2025
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