🔗 Share this article Arsenal Surrender Two-Goal Lead in Champions League Defeat to German Giants The London side required a impressive performance and favorable outcome against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their European campaign into difficult waters. Different Outcomes from Last Season Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game avenged their heavy defeat to the German opponents and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the championship match. It represented a turning point in their season, demonstrating a mental toughness that carried them to a European triumph. Their breakdown here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that led to victory in May. Travelling Supporters in Germany 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 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 made their presence felt in the lower tier. Learning from Previous Performance The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions receiving much criticism 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 stuck to the plan and there was no repetition of that slow start. Fast Beginning for Visitors They opened on the front foot. The England forward was especially lively and caused problems for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards. It was Mead's effort that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to head it back over the keeper and in. Doubling the Advantage Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was exploited. Mead intercepted the defender's wayward ball and laid off to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards the Spanish midfielder on the penalty area. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before lashing past Grohs. After Break Turnaround The energy dropped a little in the second half. The Bayern coach made substitutions to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Turkish talent followed shortly. The last of these 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 home team sensing they could get a result from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping a cross in from the edge of the area to equalize. They did not just want to take something, though: they wanted it all, and shortly after they had the advantage, Icelandic defender scoring at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a big job ahead.