🔗 Share this article

The London side needed a impressive performance and favorable result against a continental giant, but the team surrendered their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Last Season

Last season, a inspiring fightback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game made up for their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and ignited their remarkable journey to the championship match. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the spirit that led to victory in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their traditional gathering. They were placed in a corner of the upper level 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 lower tier.

Building on Previous Performance

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 questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

The goal, though, was to take the energy of that strong performance after halftime to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Strong Start for Visitors

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern full-back their left-back and the midfielder 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 England forward's shot strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. The midfielder was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was capitalized on. The winger cut out the defender's wayward ball and laid off to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a control to alleviate pressure from the defender before lashing past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Collapse

The intensity lessened a little in the final period. 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, came on and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The last of these would cause problems first, sprinting forward and receiving from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the home team sensing they could take something from the game. Harder produced, floating a looping ball in from the penalty box to equalize. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the lead, Icelandic defender turning in at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.