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Arsenal required a strong performance and favorable result against a continental giant, but the team surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Different Fortunes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game made up for their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and ignited their phenomenal run to the championship match. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, showing a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here showed they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Munich

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the city's famous beer hall before the game for their traditional gathering. They were shoved into a corner of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, battling against the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that made their presence felt in the stands below.

Learning from 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 "deeply disappointed" by the outcome against the league leaders, with controversial officiating receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

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 repetition of that slow start.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They started aggressively. The England forward was especially lively and created difficulties for the Bayern defender their left-back 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 early stages, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was capitalized on. Mead intercepted the defender's wayward ball and passed to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a touch to alleviate pressure from the defender before driving past Grohs.

Second Half Collapse

The intensity lessened a little in the final period. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Danish international, whose three goals in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Turkish talent arrived soon after. The last of these would cause problems first, flying away on the break 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 get a result from the game. Harder produced, clipping a looping ball in from the edge of the area to equalize. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted it all, and shortly after they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the front post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.