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The London side required a strong performance and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but the team relinquished their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their European campaign into tricky waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game made up for their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and ignited their remarkable journey to the final. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, showing a resilience that propelled them to a European triumph. Their collapse here showed they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

Over four hundred 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 corner of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, battling against the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Building on Recent Form

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

The goal, 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 slow start.

Strong Start for Visitors

They started aggressively. 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 high and aggressive pressing proved effective.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the England forward's shot unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was capitalized on. Mead cut out the defender's wayward ball and passed to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a control to alleviate pressure from the defender before lashing past Grohs.

After Break Collapse

The intensity lessened a little in the final period. José Barcala turned to his bench to try to bring his side 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 cause problems first, flying away on the break and collecting from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the home team sensing they could take something 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 it all, and shortly after they had the advantage, Icelandic defender turning in at the front post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a big job ahead.