🔗 Share this article The Gunners Surrender 2-0 Advantage in Champions League Loss to Bayern Munich Arsenal required a impressive performance and positive outcome against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their European campaign into difficult waters. Different Fortunes from Last Season Last season, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their final group game avenged their heavy defeat to the German opponents and ignited their phenomenal run to the final. It marked a turning point in their season, showing a resilience that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here showed they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that led to victory in May. Travelling Supporters in Munich More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many gathering at the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their traditional gathering. They were shoved into 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 made their presence felt in the stands below. Building on Previous Performance The Arsenal goalkeeper had said her team had "showed everything we had" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the outcome against the league leaders, with questionable refereeing decisions 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 started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy and there was no repeat of that slow start. Strong Start for Visitors They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and caused problems for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing 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, 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 capitalized on. Mead cut out Stine Ballisager's stray pass and passed to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The talented playmaker took a control to alleviate pressure from the defender before driving past Grohs. Second Half Turnaround The energy lessened a little in the second half. José Barcala made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, came on and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler arrived soon after. The last of these would make Arsenal sweat first, flying away on the break and collecting from German winger before directing the ball past Van Domselaar. Total 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 looping ball in from the edge of the area to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the advantage, Glodis Viggosdottir turning in at the front post from Bühl's cross. 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.