Dramatic Collapse Sees Arsenal Surrender Two-Goal Lead
In a stunning reversal of fortune, Arsenal Women succumbed to a devastating 3-2 defeat away to Bayern Munich, throwing away a commanding two-goal lead in their Women's Champions League group stage clash. The loss, sealed by a late winner from Glodis Viggosdottir, leaves the defending champions' campaign in a precarious position with just one win from their opening three matches.
Arsenal's Flying Start in Munich
More than 400 travelling Arsenal fans witnessed their team make a dream start at a vibrant Allianz Arena. Eager to banish the memory of a sluggish beginning against Chelsea days earlier, the Gunners were on the front foot from the first whistle.
Beth Mead was instrumental, causing constant problems for the Bayern defence with her energetic pressing. Her efforts paid dividends in just the fifth minute when her powerful shot was parried awkwardly by Bayern goalkeeper Maria Luisa Grohs. The alert Cloé Lacasse was perfectly positioned to nod the rebound back over the stranded keeper and into the net.
The visitors' high-intensity strategy continued to bear fruit. Midway through the first half, Arsenal capitalised on Bayern's risky attempts to play out from the back. Mead intercepted a stray pass from Stine Ballisager, feeding Stina Blackstenius, who then laid the ball off to Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the area. The Spanish midfielder took a deft touch to create space before unleashing a fierce drive past Grohs to double the lead.
Bayern's Second-Half Resurgence
The momentum shifted decisively after the break. Bayern manager José Barcala turned to his bench, introducing game-changers like former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder. The substitutions injected fresh impetus into the German side.
The comeback began when substitute Alara Sehitler broke away on the counter-attack, receiving a pass from Klara Bühl before coolly slotting the ball past Arsenal's Dutch goalkeeper, Daphne van Domselaar. With the deficit halved and over 15,000 home fans roaring them on, Bayern sensed blood.
The equaliser arrived courtesy of Pernille Harder, who expertly clipped a looping shot from the edge of the penalty area that sailed over Van Domselaar and into the net. The stage was set for a grandstand finish, and with six minutes left on the clock, it came. Glodis Viggosdottir found space at the near post to turn in Bühl's cross, completing a remarkable turnaround and sending the home crowd into delirium.
Consequences for the Champions
This collapse stands in stark contrast to Arsenal's heroics against the same opponents last season, where a comeback victory famously ignited their charge to the Champions League title. This result exposes a fragility that manager Renée Slegers must address swiftly.
Having now dropped crucial points, Arsenal's defence of their European crown is in tricky waters. The team must rediscover the mental toughness that defined their previous campaign if they are to progress from a difficult group.
