🔗 Share this article

Arsenal required a impressive performance and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but the team relinquished their two-goal lead and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their European campaign into difficult waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Last Season

In the previous campaign, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the final. It represented a turning point in their season, showing a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the spirit that ensured success in May.

Fan Support in Germany

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were placed in a section of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, battling against the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Building on Recent Form

The Arsenal goalkeeper had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating receiving much criticism of those disappointments.

The aim, though, was to take the energy of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they stuck to the plan and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Fast Beginning for Visitors

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern defender Franziska Kett and the midfielder Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the fifth minute, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the keeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been risky and was capitalized on. Mead intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to the Swedish striker, 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 lessened a little in the final period. José Barcala turned to his bench to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Danish international, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The last of these would cause problems first, flying away on the break and receiving from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the hosts believing they could take something from the game. Harder produced, floating a cross in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the advantage, Icelandic defender scoring at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with one win from three Champions League games, they have a big job ahead.