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The London side required a impressive display and favorable result against a continental giant, 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.

Contrasting Fortunes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game made up for their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the championship match. It marked a pivotal moment in their season, showing a resilience that carried them to a European triumph. Their breakdown here showed they are still searching for the fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Munich

More than 400 Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many filing into the city's famous beer hall before the game for their traditional gathering. They were shoved into a section of the middle tier 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 stands below.

Learning from Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the result against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism of those disappointments.

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 executed their strategy and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Fast Beginning for Arsenal

They opened on the front foot. The England forward was especially lively and caused problems for the Bayern defender Franziska Kett and the central player Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the fifth minute, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was exploited. Mead cut out the defender's wayward ball and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a control to create space from Tanikawa before driving past Grohs.

Second Half Collapse

The intensity dropped a little in the second half. José Barcala made substitutions to try to get his team back 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 Turkish talent followed shortly. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, flying away on the break and collecting from German winger before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the hosts sensing they could take something 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, Icelandic defender 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 big job ahead.