Kane’s Brace Secures Bayern’s Progress in Champions League

The England captain opened the scoring in the 52nd minute with a precise header from Michael Olise’s in-swinging corner. Just three minutes later, Kane was brought down in the penalty area by Dutch goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen. The 33-year-old calmly converted the penalty, further extending Bayern Munich’s lead.

Shortly after the hour mark, Vincent Kompany’s side was reduced to ten men when Kim received a second yellow card for a cynical foul on Raul Florucz, a decision many considered harsh.

Despite this numerical advantage, Bayern maintained control of possession, effectively neutralizing any potential threat from the Belgian side. Kane regrettably missed an opportunity for a hat trick when referee Rade Obrenovic awarded another penalty due to a handball by Kamiel Van de Perre. The former Tottenham striker opted for a faster shot on his second penalty attempt, striking the ball against the crossbar. Until this match, Kane had successfully converted all eight penalties taken during the 2025-26 season.

Nevertheless, Bayern remained largely unchallenged during their 250th win in Europe’s premier competition. This victory guarantees their advancement to the last-16 of the Champions League, joining Arsenal as one of the two teams to secure a top-eight position in the league phase.

The Allianz Arena’s ‘Sudkurve’, typically home to Bayern’s ultras, was notably empty during the match. Earlier this month, the club decided to close this section following extensive pyrotechnic displays during a previous Champions League home game against Sporting Club.

Bayern faced a €50,000 fine from the UEFA Disciplinary Committee due to repeated pyrotechnics incidents in the south stand. A previously suspended ban affecting half of the ‘Sudkurve’ was reinstated after the incident involving the Portuguese team on December 9, prompting the club to close the entire section.

The club issued a statement explaining, “As tickets for FC Bayern’s home games in the lower tier of the Sudkurve are not allocated by block and all 9,336 tickets are valid for blocks 109 to 117, it is technically impossible for the club to cancel only the 4,800 tickets for blocks 111 to 114. Therefore, all tickets for the Sudkurve will be canceled initially, and the club will refund purchasers. Consequently, all tickets for the Sudkurve will lose their validity and will not allow entry to the Allianz Arena for the match against Saint-Gilloise.”

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In his post-match assessment, Kane reflected on Bayern’s performance, stating, “I thought the second half was better. We were a bit sloppy in the first half and lacked energy. We emphasized the need for increased intensity at halftime, and we executed that. We scored at crucial moments, encountered some bad luck with the red card, but ultimately controlled the match and secured the three points.”

With their place in the last-16 now assured, Kompany can consider resting key players, including Kane, during Bayern’s final league-phase game against PSV on January 28. The league campaign resumes this Saturday with Augsburg visiting the Allianz Arena.