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The London side required a strong performance and favorable result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Different Outcomes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and ignited their remarkable journey to the championship match. It represented a turning point in their season, showing a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Travelling Supporters in Germany

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus 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 created an atmosphere, competing with the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Building on Recent Form

The Arsenal goalkeeper had stated 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 Visitors

They started aggressively. The England forward was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the central player 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 fifth minute, the England forward's shot unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's second goal arrived midway through the half. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was capitalized on. The winger intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to the Swedish striker, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before driving past Grohs.

Second Half Turnaround

The energy dropped a little in the second half. José Barcala made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the former Chelsea forward Danish international, whose hat-trick in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Turkish talent followed shortly. The final substitute would cause problems first, sprinting forward and receiving from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the gap narrowed, the home team believing they could take something from the game. Harder produced, floating a cross in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the lead, Icelandic defender scoring at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.