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The London side required a strong performance and favorable outcome against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their two-goal lead and all three points 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 last group stage match 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 mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Travelling Supporters in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled 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 corner 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 stands below.

Building on Previous Performance

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

The goal, though, was to take the energy 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 Visitors

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was especially lively and created difficulties for the Bayern defender Franziska Kett and the central player Momoko Tanikawa 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 unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the keeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived midway through the half. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was exploited. The winger cut out the defender's wayward ball and laid off to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The talented playmaker took a control to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before lashing past Grohs.

After Break Turnaround

The energy lessened a little in the second half. José Barcala turned to his bench to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Danish international, whose hat-trick in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The final substitute would cause problems first, sprinting forward and receiving from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the hosts sensing they could take something from the game. Harder produced, floating a cross in from the edge of the area to equalize. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that disappointed Arsenal and, with one win from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.