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Arsenal required a strong performance and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but the team surrendered their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Contrasting 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 heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and ignited their remarkable journey to the final. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, showing a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed they are yet to recapture the spirit that led to victory in May.

Travelling Supporters in Munich

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 shoved into a corner of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, battling against the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Building on Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

The goal, though, was to channel the momentum 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 sluggish beginning.

Fast Beginning for Arsenal

They started aggressively. The England forward was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the midfielder Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the fifth minute, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the keeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was capitalized on. Mead intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to create space from Tanikawa before lashing past the goalkeeper.

After Break Turnaround

The energy dropped a little in the second half. José Barcala made substitutions to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent arrived soon after. The last of these would make Arsenal sweat first, flying away on the break and receiving from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the home team believing they could get a result from the game. The substitute produced, clipping a cross in from the penalty box to equalize. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted it all, and six minutes later they had the lead, Icelandic defender turning in at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.