Author: Barkha Roy
Harry Kane, the Bundesliga’s new record signing, showed his talent by scoring twice in his first league game in front of a home crowd on Sunday. His stellar performance propelled reigning champions Bayern Munich to a 3-1 win over Augsburg, maintaining their unblemished record of two wins in two games.
After a historic transfer from Tottenham Hotspur for a record fee of 100 million euros (US$108 million), Kane’s impact was immediate and significant. After his debut as top scorer in the league opener last week, when Bayern secured an imposing 4-0 win over Werder Bremen, Kane once again put his name on the scoreboard. He confidently converted a penalty in the 40th minute and further extended Bayern’s lead with the third goal in the 69th minute.
Bayern Munich’s performance on matchday two against FC Augsburg may be criticized by some quarters for not being the most convincing display. Although a 32nd-minute own goal from Felix Uduokhai and a 40th-minute penalty from Harry Kane gave Bayern a half-time lead, it was Kane’s second goal in the 69th minute that stood out as a real gem, overshadowing Augsburg’s consolation goal scored by Dion Drena Beljo in the 86th minute.
Kane’s decisive goal showed how he could revolutionize Bayern’s game. In the well-executed move, Canadian left-back Alphonso Davies was involved in a quick exchange with Kingsley Coman on the left flank before delivering a precise delivery into the area, where Kane finished with clinical precision.
Tuchel’s strategic approach, characterized by patience and a controlled pace, is in line with his previous successes at clubs like PSG and Chelsea, which included Champions League triumphs. This tactical precision was evident when Bayern dominated possession with 58% and completed an impressive 89% of their 609 passes. Bayern’s defensive prowess also limited Augsburg’s chances until the end of the game.
Kane’s integration into Bayern’s system provided strategic advantages, allowing the team to circulate the ball more efficiently and facilitating the participation of faster players such as Leroy Sané, Kingsley Coman and Alphonso Davies.
While Bayern’s recent tests against Augsburg and Werder Bremen may not have fully challenged the team, the upcoming games against Gladbach and Leverkusen are set to provide a genuine assessment of the impact of Kane’s presence in reshaping Bayern’s approach.
There were no Brazilian participants in the match, as Bayern Munich have no one from the South American country in their squad. Augsburg have Iago, from Brazil, but he wasn’t included in the squad for the match.