Kane sets Champions League record as Bayern draw with Real Madrid

By Sports Desk April 30, 2024

Bayern Munich drew 2-2 against Real Madrid in an exhilarating Champions League semi-final first leg, as Harry Kane set a new record in the competition.

Kane scored from the penalty spot to make it 2-1 to Bayern early in the second half, just four minutes after Leroy Sane had brilliantly restored parity.

That successfully converted spot-kick made Kane the first English player to be directly involved in 11 goals in a single Champions League campaign.

Kane is the joint-top scorer across Europe's big five leagues in all competitions this season (43 – level with Kylian Mbappe), while the England captain now has the most combined goals and assists of any player (54 – 43 goals and 11 assists).

Vinicius Junior scored both of Madrid's goals. His opener came in the 24th minute, with the Brazil forward coolly slotting home from Toni Kroos' delicious throughball.

Kroos, playing against his former club, played 15 line-breaking passes in the first half, at least ten more than any other player on the pitch.

Vinicius' second goal came from 12 yards, with Kim Min-jae having fouled Rodrygo in Bayern's area.

Having sent Manuel Neuer the wrong way, Vinicius marked his 31st direct goal involvement since the start of the 2021-22 campaign (16 goals, 15 assists). That is more goal involvements than any other player in that time.

Jude Bellingham was unable to wield his usual influence on proceedings, creating just one chance and failing to have a shot on what was his 32nd Champions League appearance.

Only Cesc Fabregas (34) has made more Champions League appearances before turning 21 than Bellingham has, with the former Borussia Dortmund star having moved level with Iker Casillas and Roque Santa Cruz.

At the other end of the age spectrum, Muller has now made 150 Champions League appearances for Bayern, becoming just the third player to reach that milestone for a single club in the competition, after Xavi (151 for Barcelona) and Casillas (150 for Real Madrid).

Related items

  • Borussia Dortmund 4-0 Darmstadt: Reus stars in farewell game Borussia Dortmund 4-0 Darmstadt: Reus stars in farewell game

    Marco Reus scored and assisted in his final Bundesliga game for Borussia Dortmund as they thrashed already-relegated Darmstadt 4-0. 

    The German teed up Ian Maatsen for the opener on the half-hour mark before scoring a stunning free-kick eight minutes later to put Dortmund in control.

    Donyell Malen scored his 13th goal of the season to round things off after substitute Julian Brandt had latched onto Jadon Sancho's ball for a third.

    Dortmund could have had more as Reus, Malen and Marcel Sabitzer struck the woodwork in either half, but it did not matter as Darmstadt struggled to show a threat.

    Edin Terzic's side finished fifth in the final Champions League spot, while Darmstadt are relegated as the bottom club. 

    Data Debrief:

    Reus has been directly involved in 251 goals in the Bundesliga (156G 95A in 391 games), making him just the third player to reach 250 goals and assists since his Bundesliga debut in August 2009, behind Thomas Müller 318 and Robert Lewandowski 367.

    The German bids farewell to Signal Iduna Park having scored nine goals and assisting seven in all competitions this season, though he will be hoping to add to that tally in his final match for Dortmund - the Champions League final against Real Madrid on June 1.

  • Chelsea edge out Man City to claim fifth straight WSL title with thumping win at Old Trafford Chelsea edge out Man City to claim fifth straight WSL title with thumping win at Old Trafford

    Mayra Ramirez turned in a stellar performance to propel Chelsea to the WSL title in Emma Hayes' final match in charge as the Blues thrashed Manchester United 6-0.

    Earlier in May, Hayes – who is ending a 12-year stint in charge of the Blues to become the United States coach – had all but given up on claiming a fifth straight WSL crown.

    Yet Chelsea's 8-0 victory over Bristol City two weeks ago, combined with Manchester City's defeat to Arsenal, opened the door, and after beating Tottenham in midweek, the Blues knew a win, while maintaining their positive goal difference, would be enough.

    And they made sure there was no room for error with an incredible first-half display inspired by Ramirez, who scored twice and set up goals for Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Sjoeke Nusken at Old Trafford.

    Melanie Leupolz got in on the act early in the second half as Chelsea's celebrations began in earnest, with Fran Kirby netting late on to complete the rout on her farewell appearance.

    Ultimately, City – likely deflated by the news coming from Old Trafford – held up their end of the bargain, but shorn of top goalscorer Khadija Shaw, Gareth Taylor's team could only beat Aston Villa 2-1.

    City were constantly chasing their title rivals, with Ramirez and Rytting Kaneryd putting Chelsea 2-0 up at United inside eight minutes.

    Mary Fowler nudged City ahead at Villa Park, though when Taylor's team went in at the interval, they will have seen additional goals from record signing Ramirez and Nusken had all but sewn up the title for Chelsea already.

    Leupolz has scored her first WSL goal in over two years to add further gloss for Chelsea when they came back out from the restart in Manchester, and City were then hit by a further blow when Rachel Daly equalised for Villa.

    Lauren Hemp, who had assisted Fowler's opener, restored City's lead, though it was never going to be enough, with Kirby's farewell goal ensuring Chelsea finished with a goal difference of 53 compared to their rivals' 46.

    Chelsea are now unbeaten across their last nine WSL games that have come on the final day of the season, while the Blues are now nine WSL matches without loss against United, having won eight of those fixtures.

  • Hoffenheim 4-2 Bayern Munich: Tuchel bows out on defeat thanks to Kramaric hat-trick Hoffenheim 4-2 Bayern Munich: Tuchel bows out on defeat thanks to Kramaric hat-trick

    Bayern Munich squandered a two-goal lead to slump to a 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim courtesy of a second-half Andrej Kramaric hat-trick in Thomas Tuchel's final game.

    Early goals from Mathys Tel and Alphonso Davies saw the injury-depleted Bavarians go 2-0 up by the sixth minute.

    Hoffenheim, however, pulled a goal back through Germany international Maximilian Beier just two minutes later, with the hosts gradually taking some of the early pace out of the game.

    Bayern's injury troubles were further compounded when they lost Aleksandar Pavlovic to injury in the 35th minute, and struggled to cope with Hoffenheim's threat in the second half. 

    Kramaric then delivered a stunning 19-minute hat-trick with the Bayern defence in ruins, ending a disappointing season in third place with 72 points.

    Bayer Leverkusen finished in top spot on 90 points. VfB Stuttgart finished runners-up on 73 with a 4-0 demolition of Borussia Moenchengladbach, while Hoffenheim finished seventh, in the Europa Conference League place. 

    Data Debrief:

    Thomas Muller made his 473rd Bundesliga appearance for Bayern on Saturday, drawing level with Sepp Maier as the club's record appearance maker in the competition.

    Bayern failed to have a single shot on target in the second half, while Kramaric ran riot to subject Bayern to their worst league finish since 2011.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.