Bayern Munich 1-0 Arsenal: Lea Schuller provides only goal of the game

Arsenal were given a lesson in German efficiency as they fell to 1-0 defeat at Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

It was Arsenal who had more chances, it was Arsenal who had more shots on goal but it was Bayern who came out on top. The Germans scored one of their three shots on target. Arsenal scored none of their six.

The Gunners hit the post and had two shots cleared off the line while Bayern goalkeeper Maria-Luisia Grohs made some vital saves. Leah Schuller, Bayern’s prolific No 9, scored the only goal of the game to put her side in the driving seat in this European tie.

Arsenal are far from out of it yet and will feel they showed enough at the Allianz Arena to take back to the Emirates next week.

This was never going to be an easy for Arsenal. Bayern are two points off the top of the Frauen Bundesliga and are a team very much in form. They have not lost a home game since April 2022, are unbeaten in all competitions since October and have made the quarter-finals of this competition in six of the last seven years.

They also boast an in-form and clinical striker in Schuller. The German has nine goals in the league and now has four in this competition. She was the difference here but was forced off with an injury in the 80th minute.

Her availability for the second leg could prove crucial. Arsenal may feel hard done by in that they had the better chances and could have been awarded a penalty early in the first half when Caitlin Foord’s shot was blocked by Glodis Viggosdottir. Her arm was not in an unnatural position but did stop the direction of Foord’s shot. Referee Ivana Projkovska decided not to point to the spot and VAR did not intervene.

The Gunners then saw a glorious chance go begging when an unmarked Stina Blackstenius headed over Foord’s cross from close range.

After Bayern had dominated the early stages, Arsenal continued to grow into the game and had another fine chance to open the scoring when Blackstenius’ cross ended up at the feet of Frida Maanum, but the midfielder was unable to lift the ball over Grohs in the Bayern goal.

Lea Schuller and Georgia Stanway then both saw efforts fly just wide of the far post at the other end.

It was the hosts ending the half the stronger and the breakthrough came just before half-time. Maximiliane Rall sent a teasing cross to the back-post and Schuller rose above Laura Wienroither to head into the top left corner.

Arsenal should have drawn themselves level in the second but saw chance after chance go begging. They were inches away from an equaliser just after the break when Foord’s curling effort hit the outside of the post.

The Australian then had another effort saved by Grohs on the hour mark. Then came the moment the visitors thought they had levelled. Bayern failed to clear an Arsenal free-kick and Blackstenius sent a goal-bound header to the back-post. The ball looked to be over the line as Arsenal celebrated but Saki Kumagai had done just enough to make a brilliant last-ditch clearance.

Arsenal’s luck did not improve as the defender saw another shot cleared off the line moments later, this time by goalscorer Schuller.

Rall should have made Arsenal pay for their missed chances when she ran clear through on goal in the 86th minute, but the full-back could only send her effort straight at Manuela Zinsberger, who made a quick and important reaction save to keep the tie in the balance.