Our UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign began with a tough 5-2 loss away to Bayern Munich.
We opened the scoring through Mariona Caldentey but the hosts turned everything around in the second half, courtesy of a Pernille Harder hat-trick.
What happened?
Our Gunners were competitive from the outset with some early balls in behind for Stina Blackstenius to speed onto. The hesitancy and indecision that characterised some of our play against Everton was left behind in N5, as we pressed the hosts with intent.
Both goalkeepers were tested with relatively tame shots from distance from Frida Maanum and Georgia Stanway respectively.
In the first real chance of the game, Katie McCabe’s delicately curling free kick found Laia Codina in the area but our Spaniard was stretching too far to meet the ball with enough force.
Caitlin Food and Mariona Caldentey started brightly on both wings, with the former dancing through tackles and interceptions across the pitch.
A quick and low corner from McCabe briefly sent the Bayern backline into disarray and threatened to sneak in at the front post before it was hacked away from danger.
Our well-earned breakthrough came on the half-hour mark, as McCabe overlapped with Foord on the left wing and sent a cross into the box. Mariona arrived unmarked and volleyed home with the inside of her boot. 1-0 to the Arsenal.
The hosts remained a threat on the counter, however, and our slender lead was snuffed out before half-time. Georgia Stanway sent a deep cross to the back post and Bayern skipper Glodis Viggosdottir rose high to get a head to it, levelling the scoreline.
After the half-time break, there was no question which side came out with more momentum as Bayern Munich looked to impose dominance from the jump. Sure enough, in the 56th minute, the hosts countered rapidly after a loose pass and found Sydney Lohman storming into the box. The German midfielder made no mistake, blasting the ball in at the near post.
But we weren't down and out yet. Laia Codina brought us back on level terms in the 65th minute after rising high for a corner and heading home.
This goal proved to be a false dawn, however. Pernille Harder cruised to a 15-minute hat-trick as Bayern run riot. As the match finished 5-2, our positive first-half performance seemed a long way away.
WHAT IT MEANS
Elsewhere in our group, Valerenga host Juventus at 8pm (UK).
We now head back home to Emirates Stadium for a massive London derby against Chelsea on Saturday. Kick-off is at 1.45pm and you can still join us - buy your tickets now!
TEAM NEWS
Arsenal Starting XI: Zinsberger, Fox, Codina, Williamson, Mariona, Little (C), McCabe (Catley, 66), Maanum (Mead, 66), Walti (Cooney-Cross, 77), Foord (Kafaji, 77), Blackstenius (Russo, 66)
Subs: van Domselaar, Williams, Wubben-Moy, Reid, Kuhl, V. Lia, Godfrey
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