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The London side required a strong display and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Contrasting Fortunes from Previous Campaign

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 opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and ignited their remarkable journey to the final. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a resilience that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here showed they are yet to recapture the spirit that led to victory in May.

Travelling Supporters in Germany

More than 400 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 section of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, competing with the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Building on Recent Form

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the outcome against the league leaders, with controversial officiating receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

The aim, though, was to take the energy 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 repeat of that sluggish beginning.

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 high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the England forward's shot unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. The midfielder was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Lead

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was capitalized on. Mead cut out Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to create space from the defender before lashing past the goalkeeper.

After Break Collapse

The intensity lessened a little in the second half. José Barcala 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, entered and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent arrived soon after. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and collecting from German winger before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the home team believing they could get a result from the game. The substitute produced, clipping a cross in from the penalty box to equalize. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted it all, and shortly after they had the advantage, Icelandic defender turning in at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.