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The London side required a impressive display and positive outcome against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Contrasting Fortunes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the final. It marked a turning point in their season, showing a mental toughness that carried them to a European triumph. Their collapse here demonstrated they are still searching for the spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Munich

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their traditional gathering. They were shoved into a section of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, battling against the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Learning from Previous Performance

The Arsenal goalkeeper had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the result against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

The aim, though, was to channel the momentum of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had begun poorly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Fast Beginning for Visitors

They started aggressively. The England forward was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern defender Franziska Kett and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that gave Arsenal the advantage in the early stages, the England forward's shot strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

Arsenal's second goal arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was capitalized on. The winger intercepted the defender's wayward ball and laid off to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The talented playmaker took a control to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before driving past the goalkeeper.

After Break Turnaround

The energy dropped a little in the second half. José Barcala made substitutions to try to get his team back into the game: the former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder, whose three goals in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent followed shortly. The last of these would cause problems first, sprinting forward and collecting from German winger before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the hosts believing they could take something from the game. The substitute produced, floating a looping ball in from the edge of the area to equalize. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with one win from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.