Bayern Munich 3-0 Lazio (agg 3-1): Harry Kane scores twice to help Germans reach Champions League quarter-finals – and keep his hopes of a first trophy alive after first-leg defeat

Harry Kane’s 50th and 51st goals in Europe secured a priceless Champions League comeback for Bayern Munich, with the Englishman ensuring he could lift perhaps the biggest trophy of all in his first season in Bavaria.

However hurt they are by their blundering Bundesliga title defense – Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen now sit ten points clear at the top of the German table – Kane ensured their season did not end at the Allianz Arena in March.

Bayern trailed Lazio by one goal from the first leg – a defeat which led to the announcement that Thomas Tuchel will step down this summer. There was talk on Tuesday that he would be pushed earlier if the elimination was confirmed here.

Instead, Bayern showed the dominance they lacked at home, with Manuel Neuer not making a single save all evening. Kane scored twice to make it 33 goals in 33 games since signing, while Thomas Muller headed home Matthijs de Ligt’s scorching volley.

Bayern can now look forward to the quarter-finals of a competition they last won in 2020. Alonso remains on their radar – if you can’t beat them, buy them anyway – but Tuchel can at least retain the hope of achieving something. especially before his departure.

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Tuchel knew this would be difficult. Bayern faced an Italian team; a Maurizio Sarri side; a group of warriors who were good for a scrap after three men were sacked in their Serie A defeat to AC Milan last weekend.

Matteo Guendouzi was one of the players in red, but the former Arsenal midfielder is not just a hot-headed pushover. He can play too, and his partnership with Felipe Anderson on Lazio’s right side worried the Germans early on.

The first chance of the match fell to Guendouzi when he dragged an effort wide – a warning that the visitors were not at the Allianz Arena to simply defend deep.

Then it was Bayern’s turn to create chances. There was a shot from Leroy Sane straight at Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel, followed by a strike from Jamal Musiala who swerved until he was beaten clear.

In the 17th minute, Kane received the ball on the edge of the penalty area. Lazio’s defenders failed to close him down and only a deflection from Mario Gila denied him the corner.

Lazio should have taken the lead after 36 minutes. Matthijs de Ligt’s defensive header only helped Mattia Zaccagni’s cross over Eric Dier and land with Ciro Immobile at the back post. He should have scored – by his standards it was a tap-in – but his miss left Sarri with his head in his hands.

How expensive that was, because in the 38th minute Bayern scored through you-know-what. Muller’s backward header led to a scuffed shot from Raphael Guerreiro, but Kane made sure he got a tap-in to send the ball past a scrambling Provedel.

It looked like we were going in for the whole game at half-time until Bayern won a corner. That led to a remarkable volley from De Ligt, who was headed in by Müller – the world-famous space invader who struck again.

Bayern had been eliminated from each of their last seven Champions League matches when they lost the first leg, but were now in control. In the 52nd minute, Immobile shouted for a penalty when he felt himself being hit by De Ligt. It only led to him being substituted as he apparently injured his knee in the collision.

That was a blow for Lazio, who conceded again when Sane’s shot was parried into the path of Kane by Provedel. Munich’s favorite son had done it again, making sure he was in the right place at the right time.

Some might say there is a trophy on Kane given the way Bayern’s Bundesliga season has developed despite his goalscorers. But it is clear that he is not giving up on the Champions League. As long as Tuchel has him at the top, he has a chance to be glorious.