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The London side required a impressive display and favorable result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their two-goal lead and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Contrasting Fortunes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a inspiring fightback from 2-1 down to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the final. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a mental toughness that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Munich

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had made the trip 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 made their voices heard, battling against the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Building on 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 "devastated" by the result against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

The goal, though, was to take the energy of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy and there was no repeat of that sluggish beginning.

Strong Start for Visitors

They started aggressively. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern full-back their left-back and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the early stages, the England forward's shot unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the keeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was exploited. The winger cut out Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a control to create space from the defender before driving past the goalkeeper.

After Break Collapse

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 former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered 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 gap narrowed, the home team sensing they could take something from the game. Harder delivered, 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 front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a big job ahead.