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Arsenal required a impressive performance and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their European campaign into tricky waters.

Contrasting Fortunes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from 2-1 down 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 championship match. It represented a turning point in their season, showing a resilience that propelled them to a European triumph. Their breakdown here showed they are still searching for the spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had made the trip 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 created an atmosphere, battling against the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Learning from Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar had said her team had "showed everything we had" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the result against the league leaders, with questionable refereeing decisions bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

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

Fast Beginning for Arsenal

They started aggressively. The England forward was particularly energetic 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 gave Arsenal the advantage in the early stages, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the keeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

Arsenal's next score 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 passed to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The talented playmaker took a touch to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before lashing past Grohs.

After Break Collapse

The intensity dropped a little in the final period. 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 Italian midfielder and Turkish talent arrived soon after. The final substitute would cause problems first, sprinting forward and receiving from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Complete Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the hosts sensing they could get a result from the game. The substitute produced, clipping a looping ball in from the edge of the area to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that disappointed Arsenal and, with one win from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.