Bayern’s Harry Kane scores his side’s third goal during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Lazio at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, on March 5, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP
Bayern Munich top scorer Harry Kane struck once in either half to steer the Germans to a 3-0 win over Italy’s Lazio on Tuesday and into the Champions League quarterfinals with an 3-1 aggregate victory, reigniting title hopes among their fans.
Kane headed in for the lead in the 38th minute to cancel out the Lazio’s first leg 1-0 advantage and then tapped in their third goal on the rebound in the 66th after Thomas Mueller’s first half stoppage time effort had made it 2-0.
The win provides instant relief for coach Thomas Tuchel, who will leave at the end of the season, and his team as they had won just one of their last five matches in all competitions prior to Tuesday and are currently 10 points off the top in the Bundesliga.
Lazio were on the backfoot from the start and waited to hit the Germans on the break.
Ciro Immobile’s header was their best chance but it sailed narrowly wide a minute before Kane bagged his first knockout stage goal in the competition in five years with a diving header.
The Italians, bidding for their first quarter-final spot in 24 years, had succeeded for half an hour in keeping Bayern outside the box but could do nothing when Kane, who had missed an earlier chance, headed in from team mate Raphael Guerreiro’s miskick.
Jamal Musiala almost added another seconds later but his sliding shot just missed the target before Thomas Mueller headed in a Matthijs de Ligt volley on the stroke of halftime.
Kane now has 27 Champions League goals, with Wayne Rooney the only Englishman to have scored more in the competition (30).
The former Tottenham Hotspur striker killed off any hopes of an Italian comeback in the 68th, tapping in on the rebound after Leroy Sane’s shot was palmed into his path.
The Bavarians refused to step off the gas and Mueller almost scored a second himself but keeper Ivan Provedel tipped his shot onto the post in the 71st.
Bayern have now made it to at least the final eight in 12 of the last 13 campaigns.
Mbappe shines against Real Sociedad
Paris St Germain’s Kylian Mbappe scored twice to lead them into the Champions League quarter-finals with a comfortable 2-1 win away to Real Sociedad in their last-16 second leg that wrapped up a 4-1 aggregate victory on Tuesday.
Bidding to win their first Champions League title, a disciplined PSG made the most of their chances from counter attacks, with the lightning fast Mbappe a constant menace.
Mbappe was enjoying an inspired night and his speed and agility were too much for the hosts’ defence to handle. He was virtually unstoppable down left channel and Tuesday’s brace means he has scored 11 of PSG’s last 15 Champions League knockout goals.
Mbappe created a couple of opportunities early on before scoring the opener with a fabulous curling strike in the 15th minute.
After receiving a long pass from Ousmane Dembele, he surged into the box, darting in from the byline and feigning to shoot, before shifting the ball out of his feet again and creating just enough space to fire a curling effort into the far corner.
Mbappe scored again in the 56th minute as he took a Lee Kang-in through ball in his stride before bursting into the box and beating the goalkeeper at his near post.
Mikel Merino finally netted a consolation goal in the 89th minute with a deflected strike, but it was too little too late to prevent PSG reaching the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in three years.
