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The London side needed a impressive performance and positive outcome against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their two-goal lead and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their Champions League defence 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 avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and ignited their phenomenal run to the championship match. It represented a turning point in their season, showing a resilience that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed they are still searching for the fighting 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 made their voices heard, competing with the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Learning from Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the league leaders, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

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 Arsenal

They opened on the front foot. The England forward was particularly energetic and caused problems for the Bayern full-back their left-back and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that gave Arsenal the advantage in the early stages, the striker's effort unusually parried 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 midway through the half. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was capitalized on. The winger cut out Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to the Swedish striker, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before lashing past Grohs.

Second Half Collapse

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 former Chelsea forward 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 followed shortly. The final substitute would cause problems first, sprinting forward and collecting from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the home team believing they could get a result from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping a cross in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted it all, and shortly after they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.