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The London side required a impressive performance and positive result against a European powerhouse, but the team relinquished their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their European campaign into tricky waters.

Different Fortunes from Last Season

In the previous campaign, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their last group stage match made up for their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the final. It represented a turning point in their season, demonstrating a resilience that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed they are still searching for the fighting spirit that ensured success in May.

Fan Support in Munich

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were placed in a section 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 stated her team had "given their all" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the result against the league leaders, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

The aim, though, was to channel the momentum of that strong performance after halftime to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they stuck to the plan and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Strong Start for Visitors

They opened on the front foot. The England forward was especially lively and caused problems for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the midfielder Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the England forward's shot unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived in the 23rd minute. 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 Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a control to create space from the defender before driving past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Collapse

The intensity lessened a little in the second half. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to get his team back into the game: the former Chelsea forward Danish international, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent arrived soon after. The final substitute would cause problems first, sprinting forward and collecting from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Total Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the gap narrowed, the hosts believing they could take something from the game. The substitute produced, floating a looping ball 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 advantage, Icelandic defender turning in 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.