Harry Kane scored a objective and arrange one other as Bayern Munich gained 2-0 at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, going by way of to the Champions League quarter-finals 5-0 on combination.
Bayern have been snug in opposition to final season’s unbeaten German champions, having already executed the harm with a dominant 3-0 win at house within the first leg.
With the match scoreless at half-time, Leverkusen rolled the cube in the hunt for the objectives they wanted but it surely was Bayern who struck, with Kane waltzing by way of to faucet in a Joshua Kimmich cross early within the second interval.
With Leverkusen once more pushing ahead, the guests added a second within the 71st minute, Alphonso Davies slamming a intelligent Kane chip low and laborious to double Bayern’s lead.
Kane, so usually criticised for going lacking in huge video games and scoring in opposition to the minnows, was once more commanding, as he had been when scoring a brace in Munich.
The England captain confirmed finesse and physicality as he saved Bayern on observe for a dream house closing and an opportunity to exorcise the ghosts of their 2012 Champions League closing loss to Chelsea.
“We did not wish to be a workforce who dropped off and defended the lead. We wished to be on the entrance foot, put stress on, and create possibilities to win the sport,” Kane informed Amazon Prime.
“It is by no means straightforward when you could have a 3-0 lead. Psychologically, you recognize. However I feel the best way we went about it at this time was a high efficiency. To beat this workforce 5-0 over two legs exhibits the kind of workforce we’re.”
Leverkusen confirmed spirit regardless of lacking pivotal midfielder Florian Wirtz, however the scale of the duty was too excessive.
Eight factors behind Bayern within the league, Xabi Alonso’s possible final remaining probability for silverware this season is the German Cup, the place Leverkusen are by way of to the ultimate 4.
– Bayern with the benefit –
A month after dominating the identical opponents on the similar venue however in some way failing to interrupt by way of, Leverkusen hosted Bayern in drastically completely different circumstances.
Put to the sword in Munich in maybe the poorest efficiency of Alonso’s 30-month reign six days earlier, Leverkusen wanted to show the tables on Bayern whereas missing the injured Wirtz, their greatest participant.
After criticism for his workforce picks in Munich, omitting in-form striker Patrik Schick and placing standard back-up goalkeeper Matej Kovar in objective, Alonso named the Czech up entrance and put captain Lukas Hradecky again between the sticks.
Bayern’s Vincent Kompany made just one change, with rookie ‘keeper Jonas Urbig changing injured veteran Manuel Neuer.
Kane signalled Bayern’s intent early, forcing Hradecky into acrobatic saves twice within the opening quarter-hour.
Leverkusen lacked Wirtz and just a little fluidity however remained formidable, with an animated Alonso repeatedly urging them ahead from the sideline.
Schick, given a complete of simply 11 minutes in Leverkusen’s two earlier matches, headed inches huge with 38 minutes gone, the hosts’ greatest probability of the opening half.
The second half introduced extra obligatory danger for Leverkusen and Bayern sensed the blood within the water.
With 52 minutes gone, Kane received on the top of Kimmich’s lofted cross to kill off any remaining Leverkusen hope.
Kane then arrange Davies to attain inside the ultimate 20 minutes, placing Bayern into the final eight and retaining his personal private quest for a workforce trophy alive on the most important membership soccer stage of all.
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