Harry Kane scored his first goal of the season to help Bayern Munich win 2-1 at promoted Elversberg in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Given the captain’s armband with Manuel Neuer rested, Kane scored with 18 minutes remaining to break a 1-1 tie and put the defending champions on course for victory.
Bayern had grabbed the lead through teenage German winger Lennart Karl, but Elversberg equalized shortly after the hour mark with a magnificent curling strike from Maurice Krattenmacher.
Kane scored 36 league goals last season, but after going scoreless in his first two games, he told DAZN, “That’s football—sometimes you have to wait more than you’d have expected.
“It was nice to get the goal and the three points. It’s a tough place, so we’re happy with the win… We probably haven’t reached our top level yet, but it’s still early days.”
Elversberg suffered their first defeat after winning their first two Bundesliga games.
Elversberg, with a population of around 13,000, is the smallest town to have ever competed in the German first division.
The underdogs received a pre-game boost when coach Vincent Wagner was cleared to take his seat on the bench after winning an appeal against a red card in Elversberg’s thrilling 4-3 victory against Borussia Moenchengladbach last week.
Bayern seized the lead after 26 minutes when Karl tapped in a cross intended for Kane, which the England captain missed.
Cole Campbell, an American forward, appeared to have leveled things up for the hosts, but his shot was called out for offside. Krattenmacher’s stunning effort from the edge of the box brought Elversberg level.
Kane took it upon himself to put Bayern back ahead, scoring on the turn in a packed penalty area after 72 minutes.
