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The London side required a impressive performance and positive outcome against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their European campaign into difficult waters.

Different Outcomes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from 2-1 down to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match made up for their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and ignited their remarkable journey to the final. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, showing a mental toughness that propelled them to a European triumph. Their breakdown here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Germany

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were shoved into a section of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, battling against the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Learning from Recent Form

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the result against the league leaders, with controversial officiating receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

The aim, though, was to take the energy of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy and there was no repeat of that slow start.

Fast Beginning for Arsenal

They started aggressively. The England forward was particularly energetic and caused problems for the Bayern defender 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, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived midway through the half. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been risky and was capitalized on. Mead cut out Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a control to create space from Tanikawa before lashing past Grohs.

Second Half Turnaround

The energy lessened a little in the final period. The Bayern coach turned to his bench 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, entered and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent arrived soon after. The last of these would cause problems first, flying away on the break and receiving from German winger before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Complete Comeback

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the gap narrowed, the home team sensing they could get a result from the game. Harder produced, clipping a looping ball in from the edge of the area to equalize. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the lead, Icelandic defender scoring at the front post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with one win from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.