🔗 Share this article The Gunners Let Slip 2-0 Advantage in European Defeat to Bayern Munich Arsenal required a impressive performance and positive result against a European powerhouse, but the team relinquished their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, casting their Champions League defence into tricky waters. Different Fortunes from Last Season In the previous campaign, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and kickstarted their phenomenal run to the final. It marked a turning point in their season, showing a mental toughness that propelled them to a European triumph. Their collapse here demonstrated they are still searching for the spirit that led to victory in May. Travelling Supporters in Munich Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many filing into the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were placed in a section of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, competing with the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier. Building on Previous Performance The Arsenal goalkeeper had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the league leaders, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism 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 repetition of that slow start. Fast Beginning for Visitors They opened on the front foot. The England forward was particularly energetic and caused problems for the Bayern defender their left-back and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure proved effective. It was the forward's attempt 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 goalkeeper and in. Doubling the Advantage Arsenal's second goal arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was capitalized on. The winger cut out Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the penalty area. The talented playmaker took a control to create space from Tanikawa before lashing past Grohs. Second Half Collapse The intensity lessened a little in the final period. The Bayern coach 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 Turkish talent arrived soon after. The final substitute would cause problems first, flying away on the break and receiving from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past Van Domselaar. Total Turnaround It was Bayern in the driving seat after the gap narrowed, the hosts believing they could take something from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping a cross in from the penalty box to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and shortly after they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with one win from three Champions League games, they have a major challenge ahead.