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The London side needed a strong performance and positive result against a continental giant, but the team surrendered their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from 2-1 down to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game avenged their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the final. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a resilience that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many gathering at the Hofbräuhaus 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, competing with the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Building on Recent Form

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the result against the league leaders, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt 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 executed their strategy and there was no repeat of that slow start.

Fast Beginning for Visitors

They started aggressively. The England forward was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the England forward's shot unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the keeper and in.

Extending the Lead

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was exploited. Mead intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a control to create space from Tanikawa before driving past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Turnaround

The intensity lessened a little in the second half. The Bayern coach turned to his bench to try to get his team back into the game: the former Chelsea forward Danish international, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The last of these would cause problems first, sprinting forward and collecting from German winger before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Turnaround

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the hosts sensing they could get a result from the game. The substitute delivered, floating a looping ball in from the penalty box to equalize. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.