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The London side needed a strong performance and positive outcome against a continental giant, but the team surrendered their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their European campaign into tricky waters.

Different Outcomes 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 opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the championship match. It represented a turning point in their season, showing a resilience that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the spirit that ensured success in May.

Fan Support in Germany

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were placed in a section of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, competing with the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that made their presence felt 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 "devastated" by the result against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

The aim, though, was to take the energy 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 created difficulties for the Bayern defender their left-back and the midfielder Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been risky and was exploited. The winger intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to the Swedish striker, who directed 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 dropped a little in the second half. The Bayern coach turned to his bench to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The last of these would make Arsenal sweat first, flying away on the break and collecting from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the hosts believing they could get a result from the game. Harder produced, clipping a cross in from the edge of the area to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Icelandic defender turning in at the near post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.