In what has been announced as Thomas Tuchel’s last season as the coach of Bayern, he started his farewell tour with a liberating victory, thanks to a remarkable performance by Harry Kane. This victory was achieved at the most apt occasion, the 1000th Bundesliga home game. Harry Kane, the striker for the Munich team, scored his 27th goal of the season during injury time on Saturday evening. This decisive goal led the team to a 2-1 win against the tough opponents, RB Leipzig.
The opening goal of the match was also scored by Harry Kane in the 56th minute. This late success put an end to the reigning champions’ streak of previous defeats. It also ensured that they remain within striking distance of the league dominant Bayer Leverkusen, who are currently leading by eight points.
The decision to part ways with the coach at the end of the season seems to have instilled a renewed passion in the Bayern team, just as the management had hoped for. However, the team’s instability in the new year was highlighted by the equalizing goal by Leipzig. Despite two successful saves by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer against Benjamin Sesko’s attempts to score, he was unable to prevent the third attempt. In fact, Leon Goretzka’s deflection during the rescue attempt (70th minute) rendered the Munich captain powerless.
Despite the newfound freedom of choice, Tuchel was constrained by a long list of injuries in his team, which limited his options for the lineup. Joshua Kimmich was called upon to fill in at right-back. Tuchel was all praise for Kimmich, commending his professionalism. The central midfield position was filled by the young player, Aleksandar Pavlovic, who directed the game convincingly.
Marco Rose’s Struggles
Throughout the match, Tuchel was seen observing the game, mostly sitting on a silver equipment box. He witnessed the spirited effort of a Bayern team that despite starting powerfully, lacked self-confidence after a series of three defeats and also a bit of luck. Harry Kane, with his head, completed an attack launched by Pavlovic and Raphael Guerreiro. However, RB’s goalkeeper Janis Blaswich was successful in deflecting the ball to the post in the 5th minute.
The game was a reflection of Bayern’s current situation. Leroy Sané, the national player who displayed world-class skills in the early months of the season, failed to make a mark, despite his best efforts. He wasted several chances and was unable to score a goal (34th minute). He even inadvertently blocked a shot from Kane, who attempted an overhead kick, with his back (42nd minute). The first half ended with no goals against Leipzig, a team that was noticeably less sharp compared to their previous outstanding victories in Munich (3:1 in the league, 3:0 in the Supercup). Leipzig’s coach Marco Rose seemed visibly stressed on the sidelines.
In the second half, the guests showed a more offensive approach. Amadou Haidara tested Neuer with a long-range shot, and Mohamed Simakan narrowly missed a shot from the corner (53rd minute). And then, Kane struck again. The Englishman is showing signs of returning to form. However, there are still aspects of Bayern’s game that need improvement, including their ability to defend a lead. The Leipzig team, now more determined and aggressive, managed to equalize. But Kane, in a testament to his form, struck once again shortly before the end, securing the victory for Bayern.
