Bayern Munich have one foot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after a Harry Kane double helped them to comfortable win against 10-man Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
Kane gave the hosts an early breakthrough in the all-German meeting before Jamal Musiala doubled their lead by capitalising on a mistake from Leverkusen goalkeeper Matej Kovar.
The visitors went down to 10 men after a second yellow for Nordi Mukiele just past the hour mark, then Kane scored his 31st goal of the season from the penalty spot to seal the victory.
It only took Bayern nine minutes to draw first blood as Kane popped up in front of Mukiele to head home a perfectly-weighted cross from Michael Olise.
The visitors almost found a way back when Dayot Upamecano’s dreadful backpass was intercepted by Jeremie Frimpong inside the box, but Bayern captain Manuel Neuer came to his team-mate’s rescue with a brilliant save to deny Leverkusen a swift equaliser.
Vincent Kompany’s side were denied a second as Musiala headed Joshua Kimmich’s corner against the crossbar.
After being outplayed in the first half, Leverkusen’s hopes of a comeback in the second were dashed when Kovar let a Kimmich cross slip through his gloves for Musiala to poke into an open goal.
Mukiele was then dismissed for a reckless challenge on Kingsley Coman before Kane was dragged down to the floor by substitute Edmond Tapsoba during a corner.
Referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot after a video assistant referee (VAR) review and the England captain made no mistake from 12 yards to pull the Bundesliga leaders further ahead.
“This is the Champions League, this is the biggest game of all,” Kane told TNT Sports after the game.
“We’re playing against a team who have had an unbelievable couple of seasons. If we don’t carry it on, then it doesn’t mean anything.
“We’re here to send a message not just to everyone but to ourselves.”
Kane’s nine-goal haul is the most by an English player in a single Champions League campaign and the joint-most in a European Cup campaign alongside Dennis Viollet, who scored nine goals for Manchester United in 1956-57.
The 31-year-old also has nine goals in the Champions League knockout stages now, with Frank Lampard (15) and Wayne Rooney (14) the only Englishmen ahead of him in that regard.
He has now scored more goals across all competitions than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues since he joined Bayern (75).
Seventeen of them have come in the Champions League, which is also more than any other player in the competition in that time.
Former Germany international Thomas Hitzlsperger told BBC Match of the Day: “Kane was instrumental to the win. I have seen him when he is quiet and doesn’t score and people say has he reached a peak already. But his record speaks for itself, he is so important.”
Athletic journalist Rory Smith, added: “There is a genuine debate at times over his mobility. There was a game against Frankurt recently he missed and Bayern looked more fluid.
“But he is such a reliable goalscorer even if he detracts from the fluency of the team a bit, how do you keep him out?”
The second leg at BayArena will take place on Tuesday, 11 March (20:00 GMT).
