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Arsenal required a impressive display and positive result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their European campaign into tricky waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a inspiring fightback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their heavy defeat to the German opponents and ignited their phenomenal run to the final. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here demonstrated they are still searching for the spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus 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 impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that made their presence felt 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 result against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

The aim, 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 stuck to the plan and there was no repetition of that slow start.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They started aggressively. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and created difficulties 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 gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

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. The winger cut out the defender's wayward ball and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a control to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before driving past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Collapse

The intensity lessened a little in the second half. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the ex-London striker 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, flying away on the break and collecting from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Comeback

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the gap narrowed, the home team believing they could take something from the game. The substitute 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 shortly after they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the near post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.