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The London side required a impressive display and positive result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Different Fortunes from Last Season

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match made up for their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and ignited their phenomenal run to the final. It marked a turning point in their season, showing a mental toughness that propelled them to a European triumph. Their collapse here showed they are yet to recapture the spirit that ensured success in May.

Fan Support in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many gathering at the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. 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.

Learning from Recent Form

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the league leaders, with controversial officiating receiving much criticism of those disappointments.

The goal, though, was to channel the momentum of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had begun poorly against Chelsea. In Munich they stuck to the plan 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 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 fifth minute, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was exploited. The winger intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass 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 create space from Tanikawa before lashing past Grohs.

After Break Turnaround

The intensity dropped a little in the second half. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The last of these would cause problems first, flying away on the break and collecting from German winger before directing the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the hosts believing they could get a result 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 everything, and shortly after they had the lead, Icelandic defender turning in at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that disappointed Arsenal and, with one win from three Champions League games, they have a big job ahead.