Harry Kane steers Bayern to the final 8 of Champions League

Bayern Munich ace forward Harry Kane struck a brace to guide the German side to a 3-0 win over Italy’s Lazio on Tuesday and into the Champions League quarter finals with a 3-1 aggregate victory across the two legs. 

Kane opened the scoring in the 38th minute with a header to cancel out Lazio’s slender 1-0 first leg advantage and then tapped in the third goal off a rebound in the 66th minute after Thomas Müller made it 2-0 on the stroke of half time. 

This was a much needed win for coach Thomas Tuchel and his side that had won just one of their last competitive matches prior to Tuesday. They are currently 10 points off the top in the Bundesliga. 

It's a perfect evening for us. It was a big game," said Kane, who has now netted six goals for Bayern in the competition and another 27 in the league this season. "We were 1-0 down in the first leg. It's obviously a big moment in our season. It was a top performance.

"Of course we know we have to improve, but nights like this can really change the season. I'm really proud of the boys and we just have to keep this momentum going."

Lazio started the game on the backfoot and were waiting to surprise the Germans on the counter. 

Ciro Immobile’s headed effort that sailed just wide was probably their best chance of the game. Minutes later Kane registered his first knockout goal in the competition in nearly five years with a leaping header. 

Sarri’s Lazio, vying for their first quarterfinal spot in 24 years, had done well in keeping Bayern out of their box but could simply do nothing when Kane, who had earlier squandered a chance, headed in from a Raphaël Guerreiro miskick. 

Jamal Musiala nearly got his name on the scoresheet seconds later but his sliding shot just missed the target before Thomas Mueller got his head on a Matthijs de Ligt volley in the first half stoppage time to bag his first goal of Champions League 2023/24. 

Kane now has 27 Champions League goals to his name only behind Wayne Rooney (30 goals), who is the only Englishman to have scored more in the competition.

The prolific goal scorer punctured the spirits of the away fans in the 68th minute, capitalising on a rebound after Leroy Sane’s shot was palmed into his path.

Bayern refused to take their foot off the gas and Muller almost scored his second of the day, but Ivan Provedel was brave enough to force his shot onto the post.  

Bayern have made it at least the last eight in 12 of their previous 13 campaigns.