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The London side required a strong performance and favorable outcome against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Last Season

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 Bavarian side and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the final. It marked a pivotal moment in their season, showing a resilience that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here showed they are yet to recapture the spirit that ensured success in May.

Fan Support in Munich

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many filing into the city's famous beer hall before the game for their traditional gathering. They were shoved into a section of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, competing with the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Building on Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the result against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

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 repeat of that slow start.

Strong Start for Visitors

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was especially lively and caused problems for the Bayern full-back their left-back and the central player Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing proved effective.

It was Mead's effort that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the fifth minute, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to head it back over the keeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's second goal arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was capitalized on. Mead cut out Stine Ballisager's stray pass and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a control to create space from Tanikawa before lashing past the goalkeeper.

After Break Collapse

The energy dropped a little in the final period. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the former Chelsea forward Danish international, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The last of these would cause problems first, sprinting forward and receiving from German winger before directing the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the home team believing they could get a result from the game. The substitute delivered, floating a looping ball in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the front post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with one win from three Champions League games, they have a big job ahead.