Arsenal left shellshocked by brilliant Bayern Munich fightback

Arsenal were stunned in the Women’s Champions League after Bayern Munich staged a remarkable second-half comeback to clinch a 3-2 win in Germany.

A dominant first-half display saw the defending champions go ahead through Emily Fox and Mariona Caldentey but Bayern responded after the break with efforts from Alara Sehitler and Pernille Harder to leave the game in the balance with 10 minutes left.

Glodis Perla Viggosdottir had the final say to hand Arsenal a second defeat in the competition while Bayern posted back-to-back wins.

Arsenal went ahead in the fifth minute when Beth Mead’s strike was pushed out by Maria Luisa Grohs and Fox reacted quickly, nodding over the home goalkeeper.

Viggosdottir made an excellent sliding challenge in the area to deny Alessia Russo and Caldentey tested Grohs from distance before Daphne van Domselaar saved from Lea Schuller at the other end.

A well-worked Arsenal move resulted in Stina Blackstenius rattling the crossbar but the visitors doubled their lead moments later after catching Bayern playing out from the back and Caldentey’s fierce strike from outside the box found the top corner 23 minutes in.

Arsenal controlled the game and a menacing Mead cross was glanced away at the back post by Schuller before the break.

Bayern enjoyed a more confident start to the second half and were rewarded in the 67th minute following a great surge down the left from Klara Buhl, who played in Sehitler to tap past Van Domselaar.

After Frida Maanum was unable to get on the end of Russo’s teasing delivery across the box, Bayern immediately broke down the pitch and Harder chipped the ball into the top corner from outside the area to level in the 80th minute.

Van Domselaar made a stunning save to tip Giulia Gwinn’s strike over the bar but Bayern completed their comeback in the 86th minute when Viggosdottir stabbed home from Buhl’s cross.