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The London side required a impressive performance and positive outcome against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their European campaign into tricky waters.

Different Fortunes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from 2-1 down to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game avenged their heavy defeat to the German opponents and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the final. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, showing a resilience that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed they are yet to recapture the spirit that ensured success 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 pre-match meet-up. They were shoved into a corner of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, competing with the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Learning from Previous Performance

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "given their all" 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 aim, though, was to channel the momentum 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.

Fast Beginning for Visitors

They started aggressively. The England forward was especially lively and created difficulties for the Bayern defender their left-back and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

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

Extending the Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was capitalized on. Mead cut out Stine Ballisager's stray pass and passed to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a touch to create space from Tanikawa before lashing past the goalkeeper.

After Break Collapse

The intensity dropped a little in the second half. José Barcala made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the ex-London striker Danish international, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The last of these would cause problems first, flying away on the break and collecting from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the hosts believing they could get a result from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping a looping ball in from the edge of the area to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir scoring at the near post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.