MUNICH, MAR 6: Harry Kane scored a goal in each half as Bayern Munich beat Lazio 3-0 on Tuesday to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 3-1 on aggregate.
Kane headed Bayern level in the tie in the 38th minute, cancelling out Lazios lead from the first leg with his first Champions League knockout goal in five years.
Thomas Mueller doubled the hosts lead with a clever header before half-time and Kane doubled up in the 66th minute, tapping in the rebound from a Leroy Sane shot to seal Bayerns progress to the next round.
"Everyone with energy, all around the pitch, the way we played and created chances and pressed without the ball -- it was a top, top performance."
Bayern kept their slim hopes of silverware this season alive while likely giving outgoing coach Thomas Tuchel a stay of execution until the quarter-finals in April.
"Its the most difficult trophy to win in Europe, probably the world," Tuchel, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, told reporters.
"But it doesn get any easier or more difficult if you have a long contract or if you
e leaving at the end of the season."
Kane recognised the manner of Tuchels exit was "unusual" but said "nights like this can change the season. Im proud of the boys -- we just have to keep this momentum up."
Mueller, a two-time Champions League winner, said: "We
e going to make sure everyone enjoys this feeling, nevermind what is in the newspaper yesterday or tomorrow." "We
e very happy because we know the importance of progressing further today."
The loss snuffed out Lazios chance of a first Champions League quarter-final appearance since 1999-2000.
Six-time European champions Bayern came into Tuesdays match staring down the barrel of a last-16 elimination for just the second time in the past 13 seasons.
Three straight losses including the 1-0 defeat in the first leg in Rome amounted to Bayerns worst run since 2015, costing Tuchel his job less than a year after arriving in Munich.
With Tuchel allowed to keep the seat warm until the summer, the coach promised to be more "ruthless". On Tuesday, he benched big-money signing Kim Min-jae for Eric Dier, while moving Joshua Kimmich -- a fixture in midfield for Bayern and Germany -- to right-back.
Bayern pushed Lazio back early with the fit-again Sane and Jamal Musiala going close.
Scorer of the first legs only goal, Ciro Immobile had a golden chance to extend Lazios lead after a Matthijs de Ligt mistake on 36 minutes but dragged his header just wide.
The miss would prove costly with Kane breaking through moments later, heading in a scuffed Raphael Guerreiro shot to even up the tie.
Mueller, another to see more game time after the announcement of Tuchels impending departure, doubled Bayerns lead in first-half stoppage time, heading in a De Ligt shot in trademark poacher fashion.
Despite a prolific run in front of goal since arriving from Spurs, the German media joked the famously trophyless Kane had cursed Bayern, in danger of a first season without silverware since 2012. —AFP
