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Arsenal required a impressive performance and positive result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their European campaign into tricky waters.

Different Fortunes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind 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 championship match. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a resilience that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here demonstrated they are still searching for the 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 made their voices heard, competing with the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that made their presence felt in the lower tier.

Learning from Previous Performance

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the outcome against the league leaders, with controversial officiating receiving much criticism of those disappointments.

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 repeat of that sluggish beginning.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern defender Franziska Kett and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure proved effective.

It was Mead's effort that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the striker's effort 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 Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was exploited. Mead intercepted the defender's wayward ball and passed to the Swedish striker, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a control to create space from Tanikawa before driving past Grohs.

Second Half Collapse

The energy dropped a little in the second half. 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 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, flying away on the break and receiving from German winger before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the home team believing they could take something from the game. The substitute delivered, floating a looping ball in from the penalty box to equalize. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the advantage, Icelandic defender turning in at the front post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with one win from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.