🔗 Share this article

The London side required a impressive performance and positive result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their European campaign into tricky waters.

Different Fortunes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game avenged their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and ignited their remarkable journey to the championship match. It represented a turning point in their season, demonstrating a mental toughness that propelled them to a European triumph. Their breakdown here showed they are still searching for the spirit that ensured success in May.

Fan Support in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the city's famous beer hall before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were shoved into a section of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, battling against the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Learning from Previous Performance

The Arsenal goalkeeper had stated her team had "given their all" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

The aim, 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 repetition of that slow start.

Fast Beginning for Arsenal

They started aggressively. Beth Mead was especially lively and created difficulties for the Bayern defender Franziska Kett and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure proved effective.

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, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was capitalized on. Mead intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to create space from the defender before driving past the goalkeeper.

After Break Collapse

The energy dropped a little in the second half. José Barcala made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the ex-London striker Danish international, whose three goals in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The last of these would cause problems first, flying away on the break and collecting from German winger before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the hosts sensing they could get a result from the game. The substitute produced, floating a looping ball in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the lead, Icelandic defender turning in at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.