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The London side needed a impressive display and favorable result against a continental giant, but the team surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their European campaign into tricky waters.

Different Outcomes from Last Season

In the previous campaign, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory 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, showing a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Munich

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many gathering at the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were shoved into a corner of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, competing with the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that made their presence felt in the stands below.

Building on Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar had said her team had "given their all" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome 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 started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy 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 created difficulties for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure proved effective.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the England forward's shot strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was exploited. Mead intercepted the defender's wayward ball and laid off to the Swedish striker, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before lashing past the goalkeeper.

After Break Turnaround

The intensity lessened 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 Pernille Harder, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The final substitute would cause problems first, flying away on the break and collecting from German winger before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the home team sensing they could take something from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping a looping ball in from the edge of the area to equalize. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the front post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.