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The London side needed a impressive display and favorable result against a continental giant, but the team surrendered their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich with little resistance, plunging their European campaign 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 final group game made up for their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and ignited their phenomenal run to the championship match. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, showing a resilience that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that ensured success in May.

Fan Support in Munich

More than 400 Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many filing into the city's famous beer hall 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, competing with the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the lower tier.

Learning from 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 result against the league leaders, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

The aim, though, was to channel the momentum of that strong performance after halftime to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Fast Beginning for Visitors

They started aggressively. The England forward was especially lively and created difficulties for the Bayern defender their left-back and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's intense pressure reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the early stages, the England forward's shot unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was exploited. The winger cut out the defender's wayward ball and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to alleviate pressure from the defender before lashing past Grohs.

After Break Collapse

The energy dropped a little in the second half. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the former Chelsea forward Danish international, whose three goals in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The final substitute would cause problems first, flying away on the break and collecting from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the gap narrowed, the hosts believing they could get a result from the game. Harder produced, clipping a cross in from the edge of the area to level. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and shortly after they had the lead, Icelandic defender turning in at the near post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with one win from their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.