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September 5, 2024

Harry Kane Converts Penalty as Bayern Munich Defeats Freiburg

Bayern Munich earned a comfortable 2-0 win over Freiburg in their Bundesliga clash on Sunday, with goals from Harry Kane and Thomas Müller securing all three points. The breakthrough came in the first half when Kane converted a penalty after a handball was confirmed via VAR, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to give Bayern the lead. In the second half, Thomas Müller doubled the advantage with a clinical finish, marking a milestone in his legendary Bayern career.

Under new head coach Vincent Kompany, who has now enjoyed a perfect start, Bayern looked composed and confident, building on their strong early-season form. The victory further solidified Kompany’s impact at the club, as Bayern continued to assert themselves as early title contenders.

The breakthrough came in the 38th minute when Bayern were awarded a penalty after a VAR review confirmed a handball by Freiburg captain Christian Günter, who blocked Kane’s header with his arm. Kane calmly stepped up to take the spot kick, sending goalkeeper Florian Müller the wrong way and placing the ball into the bottom left corner. It marked the England striker’s first goal of the new Bundesliga season after finishing as the league’s top scorer last year with 36 goals.

The match’s opening stages were tightly contested, with both teams showing caution, but Bayern soon asserted control and dominated much of the play. Jamal Musiala showcased moments of brilliance, while new signing Michael Olise was impressed with his energy, though neither player could capitalize on his chances.

Bayern Munich’s attacking quality eventually overwhelmed Freiburg, as the Bavarians took control of the match with sustained pressure and sharp forward play. Freiburg managed to hold their own for much of the game. Still, Bayern’s persistent attacking waves, led by seasoned stars like Thomas Müller and supported by the creativity of players like Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala, proved too much to handle. Müller’s second-half goal, a well-taken finish following Gnabry’s pinpoint cross, was the decisive moment that sealed the victory.

The goal cemented Bayern’s dominance and underscored their growing confidence and cohesion under new head coach Vincent Kompany. With this win, Bayern continued their strong start to the season, showing early signs of being genuine contenders to reclaim the Bundesliga title after last season’s challenges.

The second half remained largely uneventful until Serge Gnabry delivered a pinpoint cross to Thomas Müller, who expertly controlled the ball before hammering it past the goalkeeper. The goal was fitting to mark MMüller’srecord-breaking 710th appearance for Bayern Munich.

In addition to setting the club appearance record, the strike was also MMüller’s150th career Bundesliga goal, making him the 17th player in league history to reach that milestone. He now joins the elite ranks of Bayern legends such as Gerd Müller (365 goals), Robert Lewandowski (238), and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (162), all of whom have scored at least 150 goals for the club.

“brutally beautiful goal! After the game, I told the fans on the fence that they should work hard this year because they need a few days off. We’ve big plans this year,” Müller said.

Freiburg had a chance to pull one back in the final moments of injury when they were awarded a penalty after Ritsu DDoan’svolley struck João PPalhinha’shand at close range. However, Lucas Höler failed to convert the spot kick, sealing BBayern’s2-0 win.

The victory marked Vincent Kompany’s first home win as BBayern’shead coach, following their 3-2 triumph over VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga opener the previous weekend. Bayern, overshadowed by Bayer Leverkusen last season, appointed Kompany to replace Thomas Tuchel after a disappointing third-place finish.

Freiburg captain Christian Günter was left fuming over the penalty decision that led to BBayern’sfirst goal. “It was an absurd penalty,” Günter told DAZN. “the ball was hit from about 50 centimeters away. When you jump, your arms naturally rise a bit. If that is considered a handball, I’d rather stop playing football.”