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The London side needed a strong performance and favorable result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their two-goal lead and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Last Season

Last season, a inspiring fightback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game made up for their heavy defeat to the German opponents and ignited their phenomenal run to the final. It marked a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their traditional gathering. They were placed in 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 made their presence felt in the stands below.

Building on Recent Form

Daphne van Domselaar had said her team had "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the result against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating 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 started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they stuck to the plan and there was no repeat of that slow start.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They started aggressively. The England forward was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern defender their left-back 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 early stages, the England forward's shot strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. The midfielder was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

Arsenal's second goal arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was capitalized on. Mead intercepted the defender's wayward ball and passed 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 Tanikawa before lashing past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Turnaround

The intensity lessened a little in the final period. The Bayern coach turned to his bench to try to bring his side into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Arianna Caruso and Turkish talent followed shortly. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and receiving from German winger before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the home team believing they could take something from the game. Harder delivered, clipping a cross in from the edge of the area to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted everything, 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 disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.