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Arsenal required a impressive performance and favorable outcome against a continental giant, but the team surrendered 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

In the previous campaign, 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 remarkable journey to the championship match. It marked a turning point in their season, demonstrating a mental toughness that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here demonstrated they are still searching for the spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their traditional gathering. They were shoved into a section of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, battling against the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Learning from Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the result against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

The goal, though, was to channel the momentum of that strong performance after halftime to Germany with them. Arsenal had begun poorly against Chelsea. In Munich they stuck to the plan and there was no repeat of that slow start.

Fast Beginning for Visitors

They started aggressively. The England forward was especially lively and created difficulties for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the central player Japanese international 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, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. 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 the Swedish striker, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a control to alleviate pressure from the defender before driving past Grohs.

Second Half Collapse

The intensity dropped a little in the second half. José Barcala made substitutions to try to get his team back into the game: the former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Turkish talent followed shortly. The last of these would cause problems first, sprinting forward and collecting from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the gap narrowed, the home team sensing they could get a result from the game. The substitute produced, clipping a looping ball in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the lead, Icelandic defender scoring at the front post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a sluggish end that disappointed Arsenal and, with one win from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.