🔗 Share this article

The London side required a strong performance and favorable outcome against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Different Outcomes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a battling comeback from 2-1 down to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and ignited their phenomenal run to the championship match. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, showing a mental toughness that propelled 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 filing into the city's famous beer hall before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were shoved into a corner of the upper level 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.

Learning from 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 league leaders, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

The aim, though, was to take the energy of that strong performance after halftime 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.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They started aggressively. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and caused problems for the Bayern full-back their left-back and the midfielder Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the England forward's shot strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the keeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's second goal arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was capitalized on. The winger intercepted the defender's wayward ball and laid off to the Swedish striker, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a touch to create space from the defender before driving past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Turnaround

The intensity dropped a little in the second half. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the former Chelsea forward Danish international, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, flying away on the break and collecting from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Total Turnaround

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the home team believing they could take something from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping a looping ball in from the edge of the area to equalize. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the advantage, Icelandic defender scoring at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.