🔗 Share this article

The London side needed a impressive performance and positive result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their two-goal lead and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their European campaign into difficult waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from 2-1 down to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game made up for their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and ignited their remarkable journey to the championship match. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, showing a resilience that carried them to a European triumph. Their collapse here showed they are yet to recapture the spirit that led to victory in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

More than 400 Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many gathering at the city's famous beer hall before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were placed in a section of the middle tier 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 Recent Form

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "given their all" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism of those disappointments.

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 stuck to the plan and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Fast Beginning for Arsenal

They started aggressively. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and caused problems 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 gave Arsenal the advantage in the early stages, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the keeper 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 capitalized on. Mead cut out the defender's wayward ball and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a control to alleviate pressure from the defender before driving past Grohs.

Second Half Turnaround

The intensity dropped a little in the final period. The Bayern coach turned to his bench to try to get his team back into the game: the former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Arianna Caruso and Turkish talent arrived soon after. The last of these would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and collecting from German winger before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the hosts sensing they could take something from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping a cross in from the edge of the area to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted it all, and shortly after they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir scoring at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a big job ahead.