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Arsenal required a strong performance and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their two-goal lead and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Different Outcomes from Last Season

Last season, a inspiring fightback from 2-1 down to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game made up for their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the final. It marked a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a resilience that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here showed they are yet to recapture the spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Germany

More than 400 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 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 hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

The goal, though, was to channel the momentum of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy and there was no repeat of that sluggish beginning.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They started aggressively. The England forward was especially lively and created difficulties for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the midfielder Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the fifth minute, the striker's effort strangely pushed away 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 in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was capitalized on. 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 create space from the defender before lashing past Grohs.

Second Half Collapse

The energy lessened a little in the final period. The Bayern coach turned to his bench to try to get his team back into the game: the former Chelsea forward Danish international, whose three goals in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The final substitute would cause problems first, flying away on the break and receiving from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Comeback

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the home team believing they could get a result from the game. The substitute produced, 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 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 one win from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.