Bayern Munich's Lea Schuller scored her 14th goal of the season
Arsenal will need to come from behind to progress to the semi-finals of the Women's Champions League after losing the first leg of their tie with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
Lea Schuller's powerful 39th-minute header gave Bayern the advantage on a frustrating evening for the Gunners.
Jonas Eidevall's side, chasing a first semi-final spot in a decade, came close to an equaliser on several occasions.
Schuller was a standout performer, also chipping it wide in the first half.
Bayern's top scorer beat Laura Wienroither at the back post and thumped her header past Arsenal goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger as the hosts took advantage of their growing pressure in the first half.
Further opportunities fell to England international Georgia Stanway, who struck wide from long range for Bayern, while Arsenal's best chance came when Caitlin Foord curled it on to the post just after half-time.
Australian Foord was Arsenal's biggest threat on the night, testing goalkeeper Maria Luisa Grohs twice later in the second half before Stina Blackstenius' looping header and Leah Williamson's strike were both desperately cleared off the goalline by Bayern.
Arsenal had several appeals for a penalty waved away as Foord's shot in the first half might have hit a hand, Rafaelle Souza's shirt might have been pulled back during Blackstenius' chance and there appeared to be a deliberate pass back to the goalkeeper after Williamson's shot was cleared.
The Gunners have fallen at the quarter-final stage in their last three European campaigns but will hope to avoid the same outcome in the second leg at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, 29 March (kick-off 20:00 BST).
Bayern last reached the semi-finals in 2020-21 before losing 5-3 to Chelsea.
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Missed chances as Bayern hold on
Despite dropping out of a Champions League qualification spot in the Women's Super League table in recent weeks, Arsenal had momentum going into this tie, impressing in the group stages and having won the League Cup earlier this month.
A 5-1 win over eight-time winners Lyon was the highlight for Eidevall's side, who topped Group C with four victories, while Bayern finished behind Barcelona on goal difference, having won all but one of their matches.
The Gunners started on the front foot but were sloppy as Blackstenius and Frida Maanum squandered chances.
Bayern began to put pressure on Arsenal's defence with Schuller's movement causing problems and she should have made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time when she chipped it inches wide.
But Arsenal were comfortably the better side in the second half as they chased an equaliser - Bayern only coming close again in the final minutes when goalkeeper Zinsberger pulled off an impressive double save to deny Maximiliane Rall.
With a potential league decider against rivals Wolfsburg to come at the weekend, Bayern brought off key players Stanway, captain Lina Magull and goalscorer Schuller before full-time - the latter having picked up a knock - but were able to hold on impressively against a determined Arsenal late on.
Arsenal will take encouragement from the number of chances they created in the second half but on too many occasions already this season their lack of ruthlessness in front of goal has proven costly and they will need to avoid the same at Emirates Stadium next week.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsFC Bayern München Ladies
Formation 4-2-3-1
22Grohs8Rall4Viggósdóttir3Kumagai6Hansen25Zadrazil31Stanway12Lohmann16Magull17Bühl11Schüller
- 22Grohs8Rall4Viggósdóttir3Kumagai6Hansen25Zadrazil31StanwaySubstituted forBragstadat 90+1'minutes12LohmannBooked at 80mins16MagullSubstituted forKettat 85'minutes17Bühl11SchüllerSubstituted forDamnjanovicat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Benkarth9Damnjanovic14Bragstad20Kett23Vilhjálmsdóttir27Laurent30Simon34Ernst35Landenberger36Gloning37Rudelic44Rúnarsdóttir
Arsenal Women
Formation 4-3-3
1Zinsberger26Wienroither6Williamson2Carvalho Souza16Maritz15McCabe10Little13Wälti12Maanum25Blackstenius19Foord
- 1Zinsberger26WienroitherSubstituted forPelovaat 60'minutes6Williamson2Carvalho Souza16Maritz15McCabe10Little13Wälti12Maanum25BlacksteniusSubstituted forKühlat 81'minutes19FoordBooked at 49mins
Substitutes
- 3Wubben-Moy5Beattie14D'Angelo17Hurtig18Marckese21Pelova22Kühl59Agyemang
Referee:Ivana ProjkovskaAttendance:20,000Match StatsHome TeamFC Bayern München LadiesAway TeamArsenal WomenPossessionHome52%Away48%ShotsHome16Away25Shots on TargetHome3Away6CornersHome0Away2FoulsHome6Away8Live Text Post update
Match ends, FC Bayern München Ladies 1, Arsenal Women 0.
90'+4'Full Time
Second Half ends, FC Bayern München Ladies 1, Arsenal Women 0.
90'+3'Post update
Attempt missed. Klara Bühl (FC Bayern München Ladies) right footed shot from the right side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Jovana Damnjanovic.
90'+2'Post update
Hand ball by Caitlin Foord (Arsenal Women).
90'+1'Substitution
Substitution, FC Bayern München Ladies. Emilie Bragstad replaces Georgia Stanway.
88'Post update
Foul by Jovana Damnjanovic (FC Bayern München Ladies).
88'Post update
Katie McCabe (Arsenal Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
87'Post update
Attempt missed. Frida Maanum (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
86'Post update
Attempt saved. Maximiliane Rall (FC Bayern München Ladies) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jovana Damnjanovic.
86'Post update
Attempt missed. Frida Maanum (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left.
85'Substitution
Substitution, FC Bayern München Ladies. Franziska Kett replaces Lina Magull.
81'Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal Women. Kathrine Kühl replaces Stina Blackstenius.
80'Booking
Sydney Lohmann (FC Bayern München Ladies) is shown the yellow card.
80'Post update
Foul by Sydney Lohmann (FC Bayern München Ladies).
80'Post update
Caitlin Foord (Arsenal Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.
79'Substitution
Substitution, FC Bayern München Ladies. Jovana Damnjanovic replaces Lea Schüller because of an injury.
78'Post update
Attempt blocked. Caitlin Foord (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
78'Post update
Attempt blocked. Victoria Pelova (Arsenal Women) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Frida Maanum.
78'Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
76'Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Lea Schüller (FC Bayern München Ladies).
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Source: bbc.com