BUNDESLIGA: KANE SCORES AS BAYERN MUNICH SECURE 2–1 VICTORY OVER ELVERSBERG

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By: Muftau Fatimo

Harry Kane opened his Bundesliga scoring account for the season as Bayern Munich secured a hard-fought 2–1 victory away to newly promoted Elversberg on Sunday.

Kane, who captained Bayern in the absence of regular skipper Manuel Neuer, struck with 18 minutes remaining to restore the champions’ lead after Elversberg had fought back to level the contest.

Bayern had taken the lead through teenage Germany winger Lennart Karl before Elversberg equalised shortly after the hour mark, with Maurice Krattenmacher producing a superb curling finish.

Kane, who scored 36 Bundesliga goals last season, had failed to find the net in Bayern’s opening two league matches. Reflecting on his wait for a goal, the England captain 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.”

The defeat was Elversberg’s first after opening their maiden Bundesliga campaign with two wins from two.

Coming from a town of just 13,000, Elversberg represent the smallest town to have ever played in the German top flight.

The underdogs got a pre-game boost when coach Vincent Wagner was cleared to take his spot in the dugout after he won an appeal against a red card in Elversberg’s wild 4-3 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach last week.

Bayern took the lead after 26 minutes when Karl tapped in a cross aimed at Kane which the England captain missed.

American forward Cole Campbell looked to have levelled things up for the hosts but his effort was ruled out for offside. Elversberg were soon level however when Krattenmacher looped in a superb effort from the edge of the box.

Kane took it upon himself to get Bayern back in front, scoring on the turn in a crowded penalty box on 72 minutes.

– Leipzig thrash Hamburg –

Earlier on Sunday, RB Leipzig bounced back from their Champions League defeat at Como by thumping strugglers Hamburg 5-0 at home.

Norway winger Antonio Nusa was the best of the bunch for the hosts, scoring one goal and setting up two more, including one for Christopher Nkunku, the French winger’s first since returning to Leipzig in August.

Tidiam Gomis, Willi Orban and Romulo also got on the scoresheet for Leipzig, who climbed to fifth with the victory.

“It’s easy to look into the past too much. You lost two games. It’s difficult, but you have to look forward,” Nusa told reporters.

“Today we had to perform and we did, so I think we had a good balance of not thinking too much of the past, but trying to attack today and I think we did it.”

Hamburg’s third big defeat in their third league match this campaign leaves the six-time German champions in bottom spot in the table.

Leipzig came into the match already under pressure. After a 4-1 defeat at Como on Thursday and a 3-1 failure at Werder Bremen last week, sporting director Marcel Schaefer took the unusual step of issuing a statement on Friday saying the club was “united” despite criticisms of the side and new coach Martin Demichelis.

Gomis opened the scoring with 17 minutes gone and Nusa added another to have Leipzig two up by half-time.

Nusa set up Orban’s 72nd-minute goal before creating another for Nkunku just two minutes later.

Brazilian striker Romulo added gloss to the dominant victory with a late counter-attacking effort.

AFP