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The London side needed a strong performance and favorable outcome against a continental giant, but the team surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Contrasting Fortunes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a inspiring fightback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match made up for their heavy defeat to the German opponents and ignited their phenomenal run to the championship match. It marked a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

More than 400 Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many gathering at the city's famous beer hall 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, battling against the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that made their presence felt in the lower tier.

Building on Previous Performance

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

The aim, 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 stuck to the plan and there was no repeat of that slow start.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was especially lively and caused problems for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the midfielder Momoko Tanikawa 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 striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the keeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was exploited. Mead cut out the defender's wayward ball and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a touch to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before driving past Grohs.

Second Half Turnaround

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 Danish international, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The final substitute would cause problems first, sprinting forward and receiving from German winger before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the hosts sensing they could take something from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping a cross in from the edge of the area to equalize. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir scoring at the front post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a sluggish end that disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.