🔗 Share this article Arsenal Let Slip 2-0 Lead in European Defeat to German Giants Arsenal needed a impressive performance and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their Champions League defence into tricky waters. Contrasting Outcomes from Previous Campaign Last season, a inspiring fightback from 2-1 down to a narrow win over Bayern in their final group game avenged their heavy defeat to the German opponents and ignited their phenomenal run to the final. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, showing a resilience that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here showed they are still searching for the fighting spirit that led to victory in May. Travelling Supporters in Germany Over four hundred Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many gathering at the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their traditional gathering. They were shoved into a section of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, competing with the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below. Building on Recent Form The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "showed everything we had" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions bearing the brunt of those disappointments. The aim, though, was to take the energy of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they stuck to the plan and there was no repeat of that sluggish beginning. Fast Beginning for Arsenal They started aggressively. The England forward was especially lively and caused problems for the Bayern full-back their left-back and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards. It was Mead's effort that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the fifth minute, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. Fox was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper 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 capitalized on. Mead intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and laid off to the Swedish striker, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a control to alleviate pressure from the defender before lashing past Grohs. Second Half Turnaround The energy dropped a little in the second half. José Barcala made substitutions to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Danish international, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The last of these would cause problems first, flying away on the break and receiving from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past Van Domselaar. Total Comeback It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the hosts sensing they could get a result from the game. Harder 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 six minutes later they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir 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.