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The London side needed a strong display and favorable result against a continental giant, but the team relinquished their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Last Season

In the previous campaign, a battling comeback 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, 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 ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many gathering at the Hofbräuhaus 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 impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Building on Recent Form

Daphne van Domselaar had said 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 controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

The aim, 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.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and caused problems for the Bayern defender Franziska Kett and the midfielder Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the early stages, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. 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 determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was exploited. Mead cut out Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to the Swedish striker, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The talented playmaker took a control to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before lashing past Grohs.

Second Half Turnaround

The intensity dropped a little in the final period. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 took the game 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 Klara Bühl before directing the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the hosts believing they could take something from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping a looping ball in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the lead, 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 big job ahead.