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Arsenal needed a impressive performance and favorable result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their two-goal lead and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Different Outcomes from Previous Campaign

In the previous campaign, a battling comeback from 2-1 down to a narrow win 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 marked a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a resilience that propelled them to a European triumph. Their breakdown here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Munich

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many gathering at the city's famous beer hall before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were placed in a corner of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, competing with the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that made their presence felt in the lower tier.

Building on Previous Performance

The Arsenal goalkeeper 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 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 stuck to the plan and there was no repeat 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 full-back their left-back and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the early stages, the England forward's shot unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox 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 determination to play out from the back had been risky and was exploited. Mead cut out the defender's wayward ball and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a control to create space from Tanikawa before driving past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Turnaround

The intensity dropped a little in the final period. The Bayern coach turned to his bench to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Danish international, whose hat-trick in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The final substitute would cause problems first, sprinting forward and receiving from German winger before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the home team believing they could get a result from the game. The substitute delivered, floating a looping ball in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted it all, and shortly after they had the lead, Icelandic defender turning in at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that disappointed Arsenal and, with one win from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.