🔗 Share this article

Arsenal required a impressive display and positive outcome against a continental giant, but the team relinquished their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Different Fortunes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind 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 ignited their remarkable journey to the championship match. It marked a pivotal moment in their season, showing a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here showed they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Munich

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had made the trip 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 corner 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 stands below.

Learning from Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar 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 WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

The goal, though, was to take the energy of that strong performance after halftime to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy and there was no repeat of that sluggish beginning.

Fast Beginning for Arsenal

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 intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the England forward's shot strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was exploited. The winger intercepted the defender's wayward ball and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to create space from Tanikawa before lashing past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Turnaround

The energy lessened a little in the final period. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Turkish talent arrived soon after. The last of these would cause problems first, flying away on the break and receiving from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the hosts sensing they could take something from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping a cross in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Icelandic defender scoring at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.