Report: Bayern Munich 5-2 Arsenal (inc goals)
Today at 02:44 PM
Arsenal: Zinsberger; Fox, Williamson, Codina, McCabe; Little, Wälti; Foord, Maanum, Mariona; Blackstenius
Substitutes: van Domselaar, Williams, Wubben-Moy, Catley, Reid, Cooney-Cross, Kühl, Kafaji, Mead, Lia, Godfrey, Russo
Arsenal have lost their opening Champions League group stage game in Munich, with Bayern Munich running out 5-2 winners. Arsenal took the lead and had a strong opening 30 minutes, but Arsenal completely collapsed, leaving more questions about the viability of Jonas Eidevall’s managerial reign.
Jonas Eidevall made five changes to the team that underperformed on Sunday. Manuela Zinsberger returned in goal, while Leah Williamson, Lia Wälti, Caitlin Foord, and Stina Blackstenius all came into the side. Lotte Wubben-Moy, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Beth Mead, and Alessia Russo dropped to the bench.
First Half
Bayern had the first attempt of the match. Williamson headed away a cross to her England teammate Georgia Stanway, whose shot was on target but at a good height for Zinsberger to catch. Maanum, half a minute later, did the same, with her shot also straight at Grohs.
Arsenal had a good chance from a set piece! McCabe’s delivery was excellent, and found Codina in the 6 yard box, but the ball came off the end of her foot and trickled straight to Grohs.
Foord then beat her defender, but from a tight angle fired her shot into the near post.
Having nearly scored from one set piece, Arsenal came even closer from a corner. McCabe’s near post inswinger was deflected onto the post, and then cleared off the line as Blackstenius looked to pounce on the rebound.
Arsenal took the lead on 30 minutes. McCabe combined with Maanum, and then continued her run. She received the ball from Foord, who had drifted wide, and crossed to the center. Mariona met the cross with her left foot and finished past Grohs. 0-1.
Arsenal had been fairly comfortable as Bayern increased the pressure but the hosts would equalise on 43 minutes. Arsenal cleared a corner, but Bayern re-set, and from a deep cross by Stanway, Viggósdóttir climbed higher than Blackstenius on the back post and looped her header back across goal and in, with Zinsberger left helpless. 1-1.
Second Half
Bayern started the stronger of the teams after the break, looking to test Arsenal’s defence with ball over the top, and Harder headed just wide.
Simon then hit a shot straight at Zinsberger, and two minutes later, Bayern took the lead. From a throw in on the left hand side, Bühl picked up possession and drove across the Arsenal midfield. She passed the ball to Lohmann on the right, who fired past Zinsberger at the near post, with the Arsenal goalkeeper perhaps expecting a shot across goal. 2-1.
Having been on the back foot for much of the first twenty minutes of the second half, Arsenal won a corner after Blackstenius’ cross was cut out. McCabe delivered and Codina rose highest to head home. 2-2.
Immediately after the goal, on 67 minutes, Arsenal made a triple substitution, with Russo, Mead, and Catley replacing Blackstenius, Maanum, and McCabe.
Bayern took the lead again on 73 minutes. Simon’s left footed corner was floated into the box, and Harder met it just outside the 6 yard box and guided her header. 3-2.
Bayern extended the lead five minutes later. Following a corner, Bühl crossed from the left, and Harder, unmarked, met the cross in front of Zinsberger and looped her header above the goalkeeper. 4-2.
On 79 minutes, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Rosa Kafaji replaced Lia Wälti and Caitlin Foord.
Arsenal threw bodies forward, and Stanway had a chance on the break from range, but her shot was blocked. Bayern, though, would finish Arsenal off, and perhaps finish Eidevall off, as Harder completed her hat trick on 86 minutes. Bayern played through Arsenal’s midfield, with Dallman playing the ball wide to Gwinn. Her low cross found Harder, whose first shot was saved by Zinsberger, but Harder put away the rebound. 5-2.
The post Report: Bayern Munich 5-2 Arsenal (inc goals) appeared first on Arseblog News - the Arsenal news site.
