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The London side required a impressive display and positive outcome against a European powerhouse, but the team relinquished their two-goal lead and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Different Fortunes from Last Season

In the previous campaign, a battling comeback from 2-1 down to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game avenged their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and ignited their remarkable journey to the championship match. It marked a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a resilience that carried them to a European triumph. Their collapse here demonstrated they are still searching for the spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Germany

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many filing into the city's famous beer hall before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were placed in a section of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, competing with the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Learning from Recent Form

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the league leaders, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

The goal, though, was to channel the momentum of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they stuck to the plan and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Fast Beginning for Arsenal

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was especially lively and caused problems for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to head it back over the keeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

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 cut out the defender's wayward ball and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a control to alleviate pressure from the defender before lashing past the goalkeeper.

After Break Collapse

The intensity lessened a little in the final period. José Barcala turned to his bench to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The last of these would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and collecting from German winger before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the hosts sensing they could take something from the game. The substitute delivered, floating a looping ball in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with one win from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.