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Arsenal required a strong display and favorable result against a continental giant, but the team relinquished their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their European campaign into difficult waters.

Different Fortunes from Last Season

Last season, a inspiring fightback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the championship match. It marked a turning point in their season, showing a mental toughness that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed they are still searching for the spirit that led to victory in May.

Travelling Supporters in Germany

More than 400 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 upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, battling against the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Learning from Previous Performance

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 result 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 stuck to the plan and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Strong Start for Visitors

They started aggressively. Beth Mead was especially lively and created difficulties for the Bayern full-back their left-back and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that gave Arsenal the advantage 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 goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's second goal arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been risky and was exploited. The winger intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to create space from Tanikawa before driving past Grohs.

After Break Turnaround

The intensity dropped 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 Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The last of these would make Arsenal sweat first, flying away on the break and receiving from German winger before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Turnaround

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the home team sensing they could get a result from the game. The substitute delivered, floating a cross in from the edge of the area to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the advantage, 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 their European matches, they have a big job ahead.