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The London side required a impressive performance and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but the team relinquished their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Different Fortunes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a battling comeback from 2-1 down to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match made up for their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the championship match. It represented a pivotal moment 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 led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many gathering at the city's famous beer hall before the game for their traditional gathering. They were placed in a section 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 brought the noise in the lower tier.

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

The goal, though, was to take the energy 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 sluggish beginning.

Strong Start for Visitors

They started aggressively. The England forward was particularly energetic and caused problems for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the early stages, the England forward's shot strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to head it back over the keeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived midway through the half. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been risky and was capitalized on. The winger cut out the defender's wayward ball and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The talented playmaker took a touch to create space from Tanikawa before lashing past Grohs.

Second Half Collapse

The energy dropped a little in the final period. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to get his team back into the game: the former Chelsea forward Danish international, whose three goals in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent followed shortly. The last of these would cause problems first, sprinting forward and receiving from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the home team sensing they could take something from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping a looping ball in from the penalty box to equalize. They did not just want to draw, 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 their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.