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Arsenal needed a strong display 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 difficult waters.

Contrasting Fortunes 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 turning point in their season, demonstrating a resilience that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the spirit that ensured success in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the city's famous beer hall 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, competing with the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Learning from Previous Performance

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 WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism of those frustrations.

The aim, though, was to channel the momentum of that impressive second-half display 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 Visitors

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was especially lively and caused problems for the Bayern defender their left-back and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure proved effective.

It was Mead's effort that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the early stages, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the keeper and in.

Extending the Lead

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was capitalized on. The winger intercepted the defender's wayward ball and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a control to create space from Tanikawa before driving past Grohs.

Second Half Collapse

The intensity dropped a little in the final period. The Bayern coach turned to his bench to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and receiving from German winger 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, floating a looping ball in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir scoring at the front post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.