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Arsenal required a impressive performance and favorable result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Last Season

In the previous campaign, a inspiring fightback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game made up for their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and ignited their remarkable journey to the final. It represented a turning point in their season, showing a resilience that carried them to a European triumph. Their breakdown here showed they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Germany

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many filing into the city's famous beer hall before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were placed in a section of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, competing with the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Building on Previous Performance

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the result against the league leaders, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

The aim, though, was to channel the momentum of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they stuck to the plan and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They opened on the front foot. The England forward was especially lively and created difficulties for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the central player Momoko Tanikawa 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, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was exploited. Mead cut out the defender's wayward ball and passed to the Swedish striker, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a control to alleviate pressure from the defender before lashing past the goalkeeper.

After Break Turnaround

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 Danish international, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent followed shortly. The last of these would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and collecting from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the home team believing they could get a result 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 shortly after they had the advantage, Icelandic defender turning in at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.