🔗 Share this article

The London side needed a impressive display and positive result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their two-goal lead and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their European campaign into difficult waters.

Different Fortunes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and ignited their remarkable journey to the final. It marked a turning point in their season, demonstrating a mental toughness that carried them to a European triumph. Their collapse here showed they are yet to recapture the 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 traditional gathering. They were placed in a corner of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, competing with the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Learning from Recent Form

Daphne van Domselaar 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 controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

The goal, though, was to channel the momentum of that impressive second-half display 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. The England forward was particularly energetic and caused problems for the Bayern defender Franziska Kett and the midfielder Momoko Tanikawa 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 England forward's shot strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to head it back over the keeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was exploited. Mead cut out Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before lashing past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Turnaround

The energy lessened a little in the final period. José Barcala made substitutions 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, came on and Arianna Caruso and Turkish talent arrived soon after. The last of these would make Arsenal sweat first, flying away on the break and receiving from German winger before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the home team believing they could get a result from the game. The substitute produced, floating a cross in from the edge of the area to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir scoring at the near post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with one win from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.