Harry Kane shows he’s Bayern’s main man already with goal and assist on Bundesliga debut… but it doesn’t all go to plan
ALREADY, the Harry Kane Effect is in full swing.
It took just over three minutes for the England captain to make his mark in Germany, with his first touch in the Bundesliga, as he delivered an assist for Leroy Sane to score.
Harry Kane scores on his first start for Bayern Munich!
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 18, 2023pic.twitter.com/3aveDFILed
Yet what everyone expected here in northern Germany was his opening goal and Bayern Munich’s £104million signing duly obliged with a composed strike from just inside the area with 16 minutes left.
Ex-Manchester City forward Sane and Mathys Tel both scored further goals at the end of the game for a 4-0 win.
So, not a bad start for Kane who was given a standing ovation from the away fans when being replaced in the 84th minute after going down with cramp.
Some pundits in Germany claimed Bayern’s new arrival could still struggle early on after leaving the Premier League for the first time.
Equally, Kane knew everyone in Germany was expecting to be impressed, hence the catchphrase, the Harry Kane Effect.
Instantly, though, that assist and a goal will lift the pressure from Kane’s shoulders.
Even against an admittedly average Bremen side, Kane could have scored a hat-trick.
You can be certain that over the next nine months, he will be leaving the pitch with a few match balls.
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Even so, having finally escaped the grip of Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, it still feels slightly weird seeing Kane run around in a Bayern shirt.
He barely got a touch of the ball in a difficult debut when arriving as a 64th minute substitute in a 3-0 DFL-Supercup defeat to Leipzig six days earlier.
But after just 185 seconds, he delivered his first assist.
Deep in his own half and with his back to goal, he dealt superbly with an awkward, bobbling pass Sane.
Despite just a few training sessions with his new club, Kane will have realised the electric pace of Sane.
So with that first touch, Kane produced a deft, first-time pass to unleash the former Man City forward who tore clear of the home defence and displayed great composure to put Bayern ahead after just 195 seconds.
Kane fired a long-range free-kick into a wall and was clearly annoyed with himself for failing to get any power with a header from Sane’s corner and home keeper Jiri Pavlenka had an easy save.
He was denied with an excellent save from Pavlenka and you got the feeling this was not to be the England captain’s night.
Yet one of the landmark’s moments of Kane’s career, one that he will never forget, eventually came.
Alphonso Davies sprinted down the left and spotted Kane who took a touch into the area before scoring with a right- footed shot which sent the keeper the wrong way.
Kane celebrated in front of the away end in the top tier behind the goal.
And unlike England, travelling fans with shirts in Germany are able to sit in the home areas so there were other supporters celebrating throughout the stadium.
Kane’s dream debut was over in the 84th minute while Sane and Tel scored to give the scoreline a flattering look.
And if we learnt one thing yesterday evening, it is certain he will score more than the 30 goals he managed for an ordinary Spurs team last season.
Next up for Kane weekend is a home Bavarian derby against Augsburg next weekend.
So the next thing to tick off his checklist is a goal at the Allianz Arena and on this evidence, it is unlikely to take long.