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The London side needed a impressive performance and positive outcome against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game avenged their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and ignited their phenomenal run to the championship match. It marked a turning point in their season, demonstrating a resilience that propelled them to a European triumph. Their collapse here demonstrated they are still searching for the spirit that ensured success in May.

Fan Support in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many gathering at the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their traditional gathering. They were shoved into a corner 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 brought the noise in the lower tier.

Learning from Recent Form

Daphne van Domselaar had said her team had "given their all" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the outcome against the league leaders, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

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 repetition of that slow start.

Fast Beginning for Visitors

They opened on the front foot. The England forward was especially lively and caused problems for the Bayern defender Franziska Kett and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the fifth minute, the England forward's shot strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to head it back over the keeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was exploited. The winger cut out Stine Ballisager's stray pass and passed to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a control to create space from the defender before lashing past Grohs.

Second Half Turnaround

The intensity dropped a little in the second half. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to get his team back into the game: the former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder, 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 cause problems first, sprinting forward and receiving from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Turnaround

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the home team sensing they could take something from the game. The substitute produced, 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 six minutes later they had the lead, Icelandic defender turning in at the near post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with one win from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.