Harry Kane brace brings Bayern Munich back to winning ways against RB Leipzig
Harry Kane's love affair with the Bundesliga continued in dramatic fashion with England's all-time record goalscorer leaving it very late to drive a dagger into RB Leipzig hearts and return the Bavarians to winning ways.
Bayern Munich 2-1 RB Leipzig
Goals: 1-0 Kane 56' (assist: Musiala), 1-1 Šeško 70' (assist: Olmo), 2-1 Kane 90'+1 (assist: Choupo-Moting)
A third successive loss in all competitions for Bayern at Bochum last weekend led to a parting of the ways between the defending Bundesliga champions and coach Thomas Tuchel, albeit with both parties agreeing to retain their working relationship until the end of the season. With the added factor that the record champions were playing catch-up to runaway leaders Bayer Leverkusen in the title race, the eyes of the footballing world turned to the Allianz Arena to see how the hosts might respond. A powerful Kane header that drew a super, one-handed stop from Leipzig goalkeeper Janis Blaswich in the opening minutes suggested home promise. The visiting custodian was once more involved as a half of few chances progressed, the 32-year-old this time ushering an onrushing Leroy Sané too wide to produce a shot. Kane tried again with an ambitious, and ultimately unseccessful, overhead kick yet there was little more to cheer for both sets of fans in an unusually tepid opening 45 minutes between these teams.
Chasing a spot in the division's top four, Leipzig were buoyed by only their second win of the year against Borussia Mönchengladbach last week. After a quiet first half, Marco Rose's men raised their game immediately after the break. Amadou Haidara's blast at goal drew a two-handed save from Manuel Neuer, while from the subsequent corner, Mohamed Simakan volleyed narrowly wide. Suddenly, the game had an altogether different feel. With Leipzig alive, Bayern also discovered their mojo and the hosts hit the front through a slick move involving Raphaël Guerreiro and Jamal Musiala, the latter picking out Kane who drilled into the corner for 1-0. Undeterred, Leipzig stuck to their task. Benjamin Šeško spurned a glorious opportunity when sent through against Neuer, who produced the first of two stops in quick succession to deny the Slovenian. Leipzig's frontman wouldn't be denied a third time, however, although fortune was on his side when Leon Goretzka's crucial touch guided Šeško's poked shot into the net for parity. Yet with Bayern playing in what was their 1,000 home game in the Bundesliga, a celebration ensued late on when Kane latched onto substutute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's assist to bring up his double and help return Tuchel's team to winning ways.
Watch: Tributes were paid to Andreas Brehme at the Allianz Arena.
Match stats
- Bayern are eight points behind Leverkusen after 23 games. No team has ever managed to make up such a deficit at this stage of a Bundesliga season to become champions.
- With his 26th Bundesliga goal of the season, Harry Kane put Bayern 1-0 in front for a sixth time in 2023/24.
- Šeško has now scored in four of his last five Bundesliga games and has seven top-flight goals in total.
- The Leipzig frontman netted here with his third shot of the second half.
- Musiala provided only his third assist of the campaign. He was Bayern's top assist provider last term with 10.
- Loïs Openda failed to score for the first time since Matchday 17.
Watch: Harry Kane hoping to build winning platform
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Teams
Bayern: Neuer (c) - Kimmich, Dier, De Ligt, Guerreiro - Pavlović (Kim 81'), Goretzka - Sané (Tel 65'), Müller (Laimer 65'), Musiala (Choupo-Moting 84') - Kane
Unused subs: Ulreich, Aznou, Zvonarek, Zaragoza
Out: Aséko (ankle), Boey (hamstring), Buchmann (thigh), Coman (knee), Davies (knee), Gnabry (thigh), Mazraoui (hamstring), Sarr (knee), Upamecano (suspended)
Coach: Thomas Tuchel
Leipzig: Gulácsi - Henrichs, Simakan, Orban (c), Raum (Lukeba 90'+2) - Xavi (Elmas 87'), Haidara (Kampl 74'), Schlager, Olmo - Šeško (Baumgartner 90'+2), Openda (Poulsen 73')
Unused subs: Zingerle, Lenz, Bitshiabu, Seiwald
Out: Klostermann (thigh)
Coach: Marco Rose
Watch: Thomas Tuchel on parting ways with Bayern in the summer
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