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Arsenal required a strong performance and favorable result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their European campaign into difficult waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and ignited their remarkable journey to the final. It represented a turning point in their season, demonstrating a mental toughness that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here showed they are still searching for the spirit that led to victory in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

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 shoved into a corner 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

Daphne van Domselaar had said her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the result against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating 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 executed their strategy 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 defender Franziska Kett and the central player Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that gave Arsenal the advantage in the early stages, the England forward's shot strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

Arsenal's second goal arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was exploited. Mead cut out 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 touch to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before driving past Grohs.

After Break Collapse

The energy lessened a little in the final period. The Bayern coach turned to his bench to try to bring his side into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The last of these would cause problems first, flying away on the break and receiving from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total 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, floating 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 advantage, Icelandic defender scoring at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.