🔗 Share this article

Arsenal required a impressive performance and positive result against a European powerhouse, but the team surrendered their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Contrasting Fortunes from Previous Campaign

In the previous campaign, a inspiring fightback from 2-1 down to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their heavy defeat to the German opponents and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the championship match. It represented a turning point in their season, showing a mental toughness that carried them to a European triumph. Their collapse here showed they are still searching for the spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many gathering at the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were shoved into a corner of the middle tier 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 stands below.

Building on Recent Form

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the result against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

The goal, 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 repetition of that slow start.

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 central player Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure proved effective.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been risky and was exploited. Mead intercepted the defender's wayward ball and laid off to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The talented playmaker took a control to alleviate pressure from the defender before driving past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Turnaround

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 Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and receiving from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total 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, clipping a cross in from the penalty box to equalize. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the lead, Icelandic defender turning in at the near post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with one win from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.