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The London side needed a strong performance and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Contrasting Fortunes from Last Season

Last season, a inspiring fightback from 2-1 down to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the championship match. It marked a turning point in their season, showing a mental toughness that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here demonstrated they are still searching for the fighting spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the city's famous beer hall before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were placed in a section of the upper level 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.

Learning from Recent Form

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the result against the league leaders, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

The goal, though, was to take the energy 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 opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and caused problems 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 the forward's attempt that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the fifth minute, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

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 intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a control to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before lashing past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Turnaround

The intensity lessened a little in the final period. José Barcala turned to his bench to try to bring his side into the game: the former Chelsea forward Danish international, whose three goals in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and receiving from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Complete Comeback

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the gap narrowed, the home team believing they could get a result from the game. Harder produced, clipping a cross 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 lead, Icelandic defender turning in at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.