MUNICH (BN24) — Harry Kane scored twice to lead Bayern Munich to a 3-1 victory over Chelsea in their UEFA Champions League group stage opener on Wednesday, continuing his blistering scoring form and extending the German champions’ remarkable run in opening matches.
Kane, who joined Bayern from Tottenham in the summer, converted a first-half penalty and added another in the second half to take his tally to 10 goals in just six matches this season. The England captain said playing against Premier League opposition gives him added motivation.
“Facing English clubs always pushes me to play better,” Kane said after the match. “I know the league, I know the players, and I want to prove myself.”
Bayern took the lead in the 20th minute when Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah turned a Michael Olise cross into his own net under pressure. Just seven minutes later, Kane won and dispatched a penalty after Moises Caicedo’s awkward challenge inside the box.
Chelsea hit back almost immediately. Caicedo atoned for his earlier error by launching a swift counterattack, combining with Cole Palmer, who finished calmly to reduce the deficit in the 29th minute.
The Premier League side, managed by Enzo Maresca, began with high intensity and pinned Bayern back early. Maresca had reintroduced Palmer and three other starters after criticism over his lineup choices in Saturday’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Brentford.
Despite Chelsea’s fast start, Bayern gradually settled and asserted control after halftime. A flurry of efforts from Konrad Laimer, Olise, and Kane tested Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez before Bayern finally struck again.
Kane capitalized on a misplaced back-pass from Malo Gusto in the 67th minute, intercepting the ball and calmly sliding a shot into the far corner to restore Bayern’s two-goal cushion. The 32-year-old striker was substituted in stoppage time to a standing ovation from the Allianz Arena crowd.
“He’s been phenomenal,” Bayern’s coach said during the post-match. “His presence, his decision-making, and his finishing make a huge difference.”
Veteran Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer marked his 100th Champions League victory on the night, becoming only the fourth player to reach the milestone behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, and teammate Thomas Müller. Neuer is the only Bayern player still active from the club’s 2012 Champions League final loss to Chelsea, also held in Munich.
The result extends Bayern’s streak of winning every Champions League opener since a group stage defeat to Deportivo La Coruña in 2002, now 22 straight. Chelsea loanee Nicolas Jackson made his Champions League debut off the bench, featuring against his parent club in the closing minutes
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