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Arsenal required a strong performance and positive outcome against a European powerhouse, but the team relinquished their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their European campaign into tricky waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Previous Campaign

In the previous campaign, a battling comeback from 2-1 down to a narrow win over Bayern in their last group stage match made up for their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and ignited their phenomenal run to the championship match. It represented a turning point in their season, demonstrating a mental toughness that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here showed they are still searching for the fighting spirit that ensured success in May.

Fan Support in Germany

More than 400 Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were placed in 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 made their presence felt in the lower tier.

Learning from Recent Form

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the league leaders, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

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 executed their strategy and there was no repeat of that sluggish beginning.

Fast Beginning for Visitors

They opened on the front foot. The England forward was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern defender their left-back and the central player Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing proved effective.

It was Mead's effort that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the fifth minute, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the keeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been risky and was exploited. Mead intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who poked 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 the goalkeeper.

After Break Collapse

The intensity dropped a little in the second half. José Barcala turned to his bench to try to get his team back into the game: the former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder, whose three goals in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The final substitute would cause problems first, sprinting forward and collecting from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the home team believing they could get a result from the game. The substitute produced, floating a cross in from the edge of the area to equalize. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir scoring at the front post from Bühl's cross. 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.