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Arsenal required a impressive display and positive result against a continental giant, but the team relinquished their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Last Season

In the previous campaign, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the final. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a resilience that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed 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 gathering at the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were shoved into a corner of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, battling against the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Building on Recent Form

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "showed everything we had" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the result against the league leaders, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

The goal, 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 stuck to the plan and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Fast Beginning for Arsenal

They started aggressively. Beth Mead was especially lively and caused problems for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure proved effective.

It was the forward's attempt that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the early stages, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's second goal arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was capitalized on. Mead intercepted the defender's wayward ball and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to alleviate pressure from the defender before lashing past Grohs.

After Break Collapse

The intensity dropped a little in the second half. The Bayern coach turned to his bench to try to bring his side into the game: the former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The last of these would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and collecting from German winger before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the home team sensing they could take something from the game. Harder delivered, floating a cross in from the edge of the area to equalize. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the front post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with one win from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.