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The London side needed a strong display and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their European campaign into tricky waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a battling comeback from 2-1 down to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and ignited 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 collapse here demonstrated they are still searching for the fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their traditional gathering. They were shoved into a section of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, 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 "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism 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 repeat of that sluggish beginning.

Strong Start for Visitors

They opened on the front foot. The England forward was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern defender their left-back and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that gave Arsenal the advantage in the early stages, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Lead

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was exploited. The winger cut out the defender's wayward ball and laid off to the Swedish striker, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before lashing past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Turnaround

The energy dropped a little in the final period. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The last of these would cause problems first, flying away on the break and collecting from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the gap narrowed, the hosts sensing they could get a result from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping a cross in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.