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Arsenal required a strong display and positive result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their European campaign into tricky waters.

Different Outcomes from Previous Campaign

In the previous campaign, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the final. It marked a turning point in their season, demonstrating a resilience that propelled them to a European triumph. Their breakdown here demonstrated they are still searching for the fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Germany

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many gathering at the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were placed in a section of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, competing with the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Building on Previous Performance

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "given their all" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the league leaders, with questionable refereeing decisions 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.

Fast Beginning for Visitors

They opened on the front foot. The England forward was especially lively 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 ensured Arsenal took the lead in the fifth minute, the England forward's shot unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the keeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was exploited. Mead intercepted the defender's wayward ball and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The talented playmaker took a control to create space from the defender before lashing past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Collapse

The energy dropped a little in the second half. 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 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Arianna Caruso and Turkish talent followed shortly. The last of these would cause problems first, sprinting forward and receiving from German winger before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the hosts sensing they could take something from the game. The substitute produced, floating a cross in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir scoring at the near post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with one win from three Champions League games, they have a big job ahead.