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The London side needed a strong display and positive result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game made up for their heavy defeat to the German opponents and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the championship match. It marked a turning point in their season, showing a resilience that carried them to a European triumph. Their collapse here showed they are still searching for the spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many gathering at the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were shoved into a section of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, competing with the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Building on Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar had said her team had "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

The aim, though, was to channel the momentum of that strong performance after halftime to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they stuck to the plan and there was no repetition of that slow start.

Fast Beginning for Arsenal

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern defender their left-back and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that ensured Arsenal took the lead 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 goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Lead

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been risky and was exploited. The winger intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a control to create space from the defender before lashing past Grohs.

After Break Turnaround

The energy lessened a little in the second half. The Bayern coach made substitutions 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, came on and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent followed shortly. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and collecting from German winger before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Comeback

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the gap narrowed, the home team sensing they could get a result from the game. The substitute produced, clipping a cross in from the penalty box to equalize. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Icelandic defender scoring at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.