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Arsenal required a strong display and positive result against a European powerhouse, but the team 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 Previous Campaign

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game made up for their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the final. It represented a turning point in their season, showing a resilience that carried them to a European triumph. Their breakdown here showed they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many gathering at the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their traditional gathering. They were shoved into a section of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, competing with the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Learning from Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar had said her team had "showed everything we had" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the result against the league leaders, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism of those disappointments.

The goal, though, was to take the energy of that strong performance after halftime 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.

Fast Beginning for Visitors

They started aggressively. The England forward 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 intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the early stages, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

Arsenal's second goal 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 laid off to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before driving past the goalkeeper.

After Break Collapse

The intensity lessened a little in the final period. José Barcala turned to his bench to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Danish international, whose hat-trick in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Turkish talent followed shortly. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and receiving from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the hosts believing they could take something from the game. Harder 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, Icelandic defender turning in at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.