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Arsenal required a strong performance and favorable outcome against a continental giant, but the team relinquished their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Different Fortunes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game made up for their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the championship match. It marked 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 yet to recapture the spirit that led to victory in May.

Fan Support in Munich

Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the city's famous beer hall before the game for their traditional gathering. They were shoved into a corner of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, battling against the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that made their presence felt in the stands below.

Building on Previous Performance

The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "showed everything we had" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the result against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

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

Fast Beginning for Arsenal

They opened on the front foot. 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 intense pressure proved effective.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the England forward's shot unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Lead

Arsenal's second goal arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was exploited. The winger intercepted the defender's wayward ball and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a control to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before lashing past Grohs.

Second Half Turnaround

The intensity lessened a little in the second half. José Barcala turned to his bench to try to bring his side 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 Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The final substitute would cause problems first, sprinting forward and collecting from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Complete Comeback

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the gap narrowed, the hosts sensing they could get a result from the game. The substitute produced, floating a cross in from the edge of the area to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the lead, Icelandic defender scoring at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a big job ahead.