Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe; Pelova, Mariona; Mead, Russo, Foord; Blackstenius
Substitutes: Borbe (GK), Liddiard (GK), Codina, Hinds, Nighswonger, Harwood, Cooney-Cross, Maanum, Kelly, Smith
Arsenal’s position in the Champions League is now in some doubt after the Gunners lost 3-2 against Bayern Munich in Munich. Having gone 2-0 up in the first half, Arsenal collapsed in the second half, conceding 3 goals in 19 minutes. Having now lost two of three Champions League games, and hanging on by a thread in the WSL, there are real questions for Renée Slegers to address.
Renée Slegers named the same team that started against Chelsea, with Victoria Pelova and Mariona continuing in midfield.
Arsenal started brightly and took the lead inside 5 minutes. Russo turned neatly and found Pelova, who played outwide to McCabe. McCabe’s cross was cleared, but Fox headed it back into the box. Mead shot, and her shot was parried out, and Fox, who kept running, leapt highest and headed past Grohs. 0-1.
Russo, in the box, was poised to shoot but couldn’t quite get her shot away.
Arsenal broke again after a strong challenge from Wubben-Moy, and Russo, after Mead’s backheel, set Mariona up for a shot from range that Grohs saved with ease.
Bühl, taking Fox on one v one, found Schüller on the edge of the box, who struck straight at Van Domselaar.
On 22 minutes Mead found Russo down the right hand channel, and Russo cut back for Blackstenius in the 6-yard box, but her shot went off the top of the crossbar.
From the goal kick, Arsenal would make it 2. Mead intercepted the pass out and found Blackstenius, who laid the ball off for Mariona who then shifted her feet and shot into the upper corner. 0-2.
On 34 minutes, Schüller’s intervention denied Russo at the far post after a free kick.
Even when Bayern did win the ball back, Arsenal’s relentless pressure forced them to play back before going long.
Bayern did go direct to begin the second half, with Schüller running onto the flick on before Catley blocked her shot. Only then did the offside flag go up, to Catley’s considerable annoyance.
Foord then fouled Damjanovic in a dangerous position, but Arsenal cleared away Bühl’s free kick.
Gwinn was then found by a good crossfield ball and she volleyed across the box first time for Damjanovic, who shot wide of Van Domselaar’s post.
Foord drove infield finding Mead. Mead’s touch was heavy, but the ball deflected kindly to Russo, who shot on the half-volley from range, with Grohs making the save.
A couple of minutes later, Grohs parried away Russo’s powerful shot after she was found in space on the edge of the box.
On 59 minutes Frida Maanum replaced Stina Blackstenius and Chloe Kelly replaced Caitlin Foord.
Bayern would pull a goal back on 67 minutes with a well-worked counter-attack. Harder, on as a sub, knit play in the middle before Tanikawa set Bühl away down the right. She cutback for Alara, free in the box, who slotted past Van Domselaar. 1-2.
Caruso, also on as a sub, headed Bühl’s cross straight at Van Domselaar.
Bayern had the bit between their teeth, with Arsenal struggling to control the game. Harder floated in a dangerous cross but Van Domselaar gathered.
On 75 minutes, Taylor Hinds and Kyra Cooney-Cross replaced Katie McCabe and Victoria Pelova.
Russo countered and drove through the middle before cutting the ball back from the byline but Maanum couldn’t apply a finishing touch.
Seconds later, Bayern equalised. Bühl took on Fox on the right and then pulled the ball back to Harder in space. Her shot looped into the far corner. 2-2.
Olivia Smith replaced Beth Mead.
Gwinn nearly won the match for Bayern on 85 minutes. Bühl ran onto a long ball and while Fox held her up, she found Gwinn in the box. Gwinn shot, but Van Domselaar parried over.
A minute later, Bayern would score. Arsenal cleared the initial corner, but Bayern kept the ball alive and worked the ball out to Bühl. She crossed and Viggósdóttir got ahead of Wubben-Moy to poke the ball past Van Domselaar. 3-2.
In the final minute of stoppage time, Smith got away from one and shot, but Grohs gathered her shot at the second attempt.