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Arsenal required a strong performance and favorable result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their two-goal lead and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their European campaign into tricky waters.

Different Outcomes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game avenged their heavy defeat to the German opponents and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the championship match. It marked a turning point in their season, showing a resilience that propelled them to a European triumph. Their breakdown here showed 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 filing into 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 impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Building on Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

The goal, though, was to take the energy of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had begun poorly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy and there was no repeat of that slow start.

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

It was the forward's attempt that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the early stages, the striker's effort 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 midway through the half. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was exploited. The winger intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a control to create space from the defender before driving past Grohs.

Second Half Turnaround

The energy lessened a little in the second half. José Barcala turned to his bench to try to bring his side into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The last of these would cause problems first, sprinting forward and receiving from German winger before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the hosts believing they could get a result from the game. Harder delivered, clipping a cross in from the penalty box to equalize. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and shortly after they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the near post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with one win from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.