🔗 Share this article

Arsenal needed a strong display and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their European campaign into tricky waters.

Different Outcomes from Last Season

Last season, a inspiring fightback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the championship match. 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 fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Germany

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 created an atmosphere, battling against the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Building on Previous Performance

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "given their all" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the league leaders, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

The goal, though, was to channel the momentum 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 especially lively and caused problems for the Bayern full-back their left-back and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure proved effective.

It was Mead's effort 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. Fox was there to nod the ball 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 dangerous and was exploited. The winger intercepted the defender's wayward ball and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to create space from the defender before lashing past the goalkeeper.

After Break Turnaround

The intensity dropped 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 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The last of these would cause problems first, sprinting forward and collecting from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Total Turnaround

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the home team sensing they could take something from the game. The substitute produced, floating a cross in from the penalty box to equalize. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the lead, Icelandic defender scoring at the front post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a big job ahead.