Bitter series is over
Last-minute winning goal redeems suffering FC Bayern
February 24, 2024, 8:24 p.m
Harry Kane pacifies FC Bayern Munich at least a little: the goalkeeper’s brace ensures the record champions’ first win after three defeats in a row. Coach Thomas Tuchel’s farewell tour begins on a conciliatory note.
A lot of effort, no shine, but thanks to double packer Harry Kane, another victory: FC Bayern celebrated an urgently needed liberation at the start of the farewell tour of their outgoing coach Thomas Tuchel. With the 2-1 (0-0) against RB Leipzig, the record champions ended their negative series of three defeats in a row and gained new hope for the end of the season.
However, the turnaround brought about by goalkeeper Kane (56th, 90th + 1) may have come too late for the twelfth championship title in a row; Benjamin Sesko (70th) had equalized for Leipzig. Leverkusen continues to lead the table with eight points; never before has a team made up such a big deficit so late in the season. Especially since the Munich team certainly didn’t offer a masterful performance on Saturday.
“Ready to fight”
In any case, there was little to be seen in Bayern’s 1,000th Bundesliga home game of any liberating effect from the established coaching change in the summer. Especially with a view to the Champions League duel with Lazio Rome, the Munich team can now hope for an initial spark. Tuchel, who named Joshua Kimmich as right-back, announced on Sky before the game that they were “ready to fight” – and the 50-year-old himself led the way. Tuchel was in the coaching zone from the first minute, drove his team forward – and was almost allowed to celebrate their early lead.
After a well-played counterattack, Kane (5th) failed with a header from Janis Blaswich, who parried brilliantly. The goalkeeper had moved into the Leipzig goal following Peter Gulasci’s short-term absence – and had little to do after this first test. Bayern simply didn’t know what to do with their possession of the ball. The energetic commands of their coach, who had to sit on a metal box and watch as his team’s few trips into the final third were stopped by bad passes and a lack of concentration, didn’t help either.
Later Lucky Punch
The only positive thing from Munich’s point of view was that the guests were also rather clumsy in attack. In fact, Leipzig offered even less than Bayern, who at least got into promising positions through Leroy Sane (34th) and Kane (42nd) – little consolation.
After halftime the tide seemed to turn. Leipzig ran high up against Bayern, surrounded the penalty area – and got good shots for the first time. Accordingly, surprisingly, the Munich team took the lead. As at the start of the game, Kane appeared free in front of Blaswich after a counterattack. This time the Englishman remained ice cold and not only put a smile on the face of his national coach Gareth Southgate, who was watching in the stands.
Despite having the lead at their backs, Bayern continued to play with fire defensively. Manuel Neuer had to save several times at the last moment, but he was powerless when Sesko finished. In the final phase, Tuchel switched to a three-man chain in order to force the lucky punch with superior numbers in the attack. Kane scored decisively with his left.