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Arsenal required a impressive performance and positive result against a European powerhouse, but the team relinquished their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their European campaign into tricky waters.

Contrasting Fortunes from Previous Campaign

In the previous campaign, a inspiring fightback from 2-1 down to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game made up for their heavy defeat to the German opponents and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the final. It represented a turning point in their season, demonstrating a resilience that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

Over four hundred 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 shoved into a corner 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 made their presence felt in the lower tier.

Learning from Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar had said her team had "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the result 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 begun poorly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy and there was no repetition of that slow start.

Strong Start for Visitors

They started aggressively. The England forward was particularly energetic and caused problems for the Bayern defender their left-back and the midfielder Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the fifth minute, the England forward's shot unusually parried 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 midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was exploited. Mead intercepted the defender's wayward ball and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a control to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before driving past the goalkeeper.

After Break Turnaround

The energy lessened a little in the final period. 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 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and collecting from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Turnaround

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 delivered, floating a looping ball in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir scoring at the near post from Bühl's cross. 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.