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The London side needed a strong display and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their European campaign into difficult waters.

Different Outcomes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from 2-1 down to a narrow win over Bayern in their last group stage match made up for their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the championship match. It marked a turning point in their season, demonstrating a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the spirit that led to victory in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many gathering at 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 impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Learning from Recent Form

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "given their all" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

The aim, 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 repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Fast Beginning for Arsenal

They opened on the front foot. The England forward was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern defender their left-back and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the early stages, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. The midfielder was there to head it back over the keeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's second goal arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was capitalized on. The winger intercepted the defender's wayward ball and laid off to the Swedish striker, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to alleviate pressure from the defender before driving past Grohs.

Second Half Turnaround

The energy lessened a little in the final period. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent arrived soon after. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and receiving from German winger before directing the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the home team sensing they could take something from the game. Harder produced, clipping a looping ball in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.