It was the worst of halves, then it was the best of halves. Bayern Munich’s roaring second-half comeback left Arsenal wondering what in the Dickens? and licking their wounds after a UEFA Women’s Champions League thriller at the Allianz Arena.
The English club raced out to a 2-0 lead early, but Bayern struck back in style to finish 3-2 victors over the defending champs. Bundesliga agenda? It’s on.
Here are four takeaways from a brilliant, entertaining spectacle of a match.
Bayern head coach José Barcala promised a different approach against Arsenal and for 45 minutes, it looked like the wrong one. Too timid by half, too stubborn by miles. The Gunners enjoyed the time and space to construct their attacks while Bayern made a calamitous mess of things at the back over and over. It wasn’t that Arsenal were consistently aggressive, either, but Bayern were so ponderous in building up and inviting of challenges that the defenders routinely played themselves into trouble.
The lead-up to the second goal was the worst offender. Bayern couldn’t even get out of their own box before a stray pass ended up at the foot of an Arsenal attacker, and seconds later, in the back of the net.
Arsenal didn’t know what hit ‘em
But credit to Barcala. Whatever he said at half-time worked, really, really worked, and his early second-half changes — two of whom ended up as goal-scorers — made sure Arsenal never got to seize back momentum.
There’s a reason the Gunners are only fourth in the WSL and that probably has to do with their ability to close out games. The first half result was positive but not totally dominant; Arsenal was unlucky not to be further ahead but the fact remained that the lead was only 2-0. Bayern, meanwhile, came out hair on fire, barreling in on every challenge and making their presence felt on every inch of the pitch.
By the time the first goal happened, it was coming. By the time of the second, the third felt inevitable. After the third, you had the feeling it was going to get to four sooner or later.
Big Game Bühl delivers again
Klara Bühl is a menace. Always the danger woman, Bühl was a bright spot for Bayern in the first half with her moments of attacking impetus down the left. She has done this all year, making opponents look like they aren’t even attempting to contain her while causing all kinds of trouble on the flank.
Buoyed by the Bavarian energy surge of the second half, Bühl’s forays turned more frequent and it seemed to help her settle into a flow. The occasional teasing cross became a barrage of killer chances — of course, none of them constructed on her own (shout-out to Momoko Tanikawa in particular for some slick passes in transition), though she put the icing on the top.
Alara, Pernille Harder, and Glódis Perla Viggósdóttir scored the goals, but the common thread was Bühl on the other end. A hat-trick of assists on the big stage. What a performance.
There’s a lot of season to go. Heck there is a big run of games just to make it to the Winterpause. But this match, and that second half, have done a lot to erase the taste of the Barcelona defeat. This is a Bayern team to get excited about. A team that deservedly leads the league and is remaking itself as a darkhorse contender in the UWCL. A team that will get you to ooh and aah in the big games.
If you’re not on the bandwagon already, now’s a good time to hop in.
