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Arsenal required a strong display and positive result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their European campaign into difficult waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Last Season

In the previous campaign, a battling comeback from 2-1 down to a narrow win over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the final. It marked a pivotal moment in their season, showing a mental toughness that propelled them to a European triumph. Their breakdown 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 gathering at the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their traditional gathering. They were placed in a section of the upper level 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 stands below.

Building on 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 outcome against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

The aim, though, was to channel the momentum 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.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They started aggressively. The England forward was especially lively and created difficulties for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure proved effective.

It was the forward's attempt 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 keeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was capitalized on. The winger cut out the defender's wayward ball and passed to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a touch to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before lashing past Grohs.

After Break Turnaround

The intensity dropped a little in the final period. José Barcala turned to his bench to try to bring his side into the game: the former Chelsea forward Danish international, whose hat-trick in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The final substitute would cause problems first, flying away on the break and receiving from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Comeback

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the gap narrowed, the home team sensing they could take something from the game. The substitute produced, floating a looping ball in from the edge of the area to equalize. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the lead, Icelandic defender turning in at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.