🔗 Share this article

Arsenal needed a strong performance and positive outcome against a European powerhouse, but the team surrendered their two-goal lead and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Different Outcomes from Previous Campaign

In the previous campaign, 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 remarkable journey to the final. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, showing a resilience that carried them to a European triumph. Their collapse here showed they are still searching for 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 pre-match meet-up. They were placed in a section of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, battling against the vocal local supporters 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 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating 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 started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they stuck to the plan and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They opened on the front foot. The England forward was particularly energetic and caused problems for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the midfielder Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing proved effective.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to nod the ball 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. The winger cut out 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 alleviate pressure from the defender before lashing past Grohs.

Second Half Collapse

The energy dropped a little in the second half. The Bayern coach turned to his bench to try to bring his side into the game: the former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent arrived soon after. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat 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 gap narrowed, the home team believing they could get a result from the game. The substitute produced, clipping a cross in from the edge of the area to equalize. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the advantage, Icelandic defender scoring at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with one win from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.