🔗 Share this article

Arsenal required a impressive performance and positive result against a continental giant, but the team relinquished their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their European campaign into tricky waters.

Different Fortunes from Last Season

In the previous campaign, a inspiring fightback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game avenged their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the championship match. It marked a pivotal moment in their season, showing 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 Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were shoved into a section of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, battling against the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Building on Previous Performance

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said 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 WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

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 executed their strategy and there was no repeat of that slow start.

Strong Start for Visitors

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and caused problems for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the central player Momoko Tanikawa 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, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to head it 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 the Swedish striker, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a control to create space from the defender before lashing past Grohs.

After Break Turnaround

The intensity lessened a little in the second half. José Barcala 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, entered and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and collecting from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the hosts believing they could get a result from the game. Harder delivered, clipping a cross in from the penalty box to equalize. They did not just want to draw, 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 disappointed Arsenal and, with one win from three Champions League games, they have a big job ahead.