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Arsenal needed a impressive performance and favorable result against a continental giant, but the team relinquished their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Contrasting Fortunes from Last Season

Last season, a inspiring fightback from 2-1 down to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game made up for their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the final. It marked a turning point in their season, showing a resilience that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

More than 400 Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many gathering at 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 made their voices heard, battling against the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that made their presence felt in the stands below.

Learning from Recent Form

The Arsenal goalkeeper had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the result against the league leaders, with controversial officiating receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

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 repeat of that sluggish beginning.

Fast Beginning for Visitors

They started aggressively. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and caused problems for the Bayern defender their left-back and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the early stages, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. The midfielder was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was exploited. Mead cut out the defender's wayward ball and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a control to create space from Tanikawa before driving past Grohs.

After Break Collapse

The energy dropped a little in the second half. José Barcala turned to his bench to try to bring his side into the game: the former Chelsea forward Danish international, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent arrived soon after. The last of these would cause problems first, sprinting forward and collecting from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the home team believing they could take something from the game. The substitute produced, clipping a cross in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir scoring 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 their European matches, they have a big job ahead.