🔗 Share this article The Gunners Let Slip Two-Goal Lead in European Defeat to German Giants Arsenal needed a impressive display and positive outcome against a continental giant, but the team surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, 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 last group stage match avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the final. It marked a turning point in their season, showing a resilience that propelled them to a European triumph. Their collapse here showed they are still searching for the spirit that ensured success in May. Travelling Supporters in Germany Over four hundred Arsenal fans had made the trip to Munich, many gathering at the city's famous beer hall before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were shoved into a section of the upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, battling against the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that made their presence felt in the lower tier. Building on Recent Form Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the WSL champions, with controversial officiating receiving much criticism of those frustrations. The goal, though, was to channel the momentum of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had begun poorly against Chelsea. In Munich they stuck to the plan and there was no repeat of that sluggish beginning. Strong Start for Arsenal They started aggressively. Beth Mead was especially lively and created difficulties for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing proved effective. It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the early stages, the striker's effort unusually parried by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the keeper and in. Doubling the Lead Arsenal's second goal arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been dangerous and was capitalized on. The winger cut out the defender's wayward ball and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The talented playmaker took a control to create space from the defender before driving past the goalkeeper. After Break Turnaround The intensity dropped a little in the final period. José Barcala turned to his bench 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 arrived soon after. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and collecting from Klara Bühl before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper. Total Comeback It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the gap narrowed, the home team sensing they could take something 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 everything, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Icelandic defender turning in at the near post from Bühl's cross. This time it was a poor finish that disappointed Arsenal and, with one win from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.