Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich. German Bundesliga.
Weser-StadionAttendance42,100.
Match report and free highlights as Harry Kane scores one and assists another on his Bundesliga debut for Bayern Munich; England captain helps defending champions to 4-0 win at Werder Bremen; Kane set up Leroy Sane for fourth-minute opener and then scored Bayern's second in 74th minute
Saturday 19 August 2023 14:11, UK
Harry Kane scored and provided an assist on his Bundesliga debut to help Bayern Munich start their title defence with a 4-0 win at Werder Bremen.
Bayern's record £100m signing impressed on his first start as it took Kane just four minutes to set up Leroy Sane for their opener with a clever through-ball to release the German forward.
The England captain then scored his first Bayern goal in the 74th minute with a cool low finish inside the box.
Kane was substituted in the 84th minute after suffering with cramp.
Sane scored his second of the game six minutes later before Kane's replacement Mathys Tel added a fourth in stoppage-time.
Kane's memorable Bundesliga debut made up for his first Bayern appearance last weekend after he came on as a second-half substitute in the 3-0 defeat to RB Leipzig in the German Super Cup.
4 mins - Kane grabs his first Bundesliga assist! Sane plays a one-two with Kane in Bayern's own half and the England captain flicks a beautiful ball through to Sane who bursts clear of the Werder defence and slots home.
10 mins - Kane wins a free-kick in a dangerous area. Joshua Kimmich rolls the ball to Kane from a free-kick but his effort is blocked.
25 mins - Kane misses his first chance as he miscues a close-range shot from Sane's corner with the ball bouncing off of his thigh.
39 mins - Kane has a shot blocked inside the area. Jamal Musiala slips in Kane but his former Spurs team-mate Milos Veljkovic is there to deny him with a block.
45+2 mins - Kane produces great work at both ends of the pitch. First he heads away a dangerous Werder free-kick before he then releases Sane with a superb long ball. Moments later he then wins a corner with a deflected cross.
61 mins - Kane comes close to scoring his first Bundesliga goal. He picks up the ball, drives into the space left by the Werder defence and strikes a low shot across goal from just outside the box which the Werder goalkeeper pushes behind.
74 mins - Kane scores his first Bundesliga goal! Davies bursts down the left and feeds Kane just outside the box. The England captain takes one touch to take it inside the box and he fires low past the Werder goalkeeper.
81 mins - Kane goes down with cramp. After receiving treatment, Kane returns to the game.
84 mins - Kane's Bundesliga debut is over after he is substituted off. He gets a big pat on the back from Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel to cap off a fine first start for Bayern.
Kane spoke exclusively to Sky Sports News reporter Paul Gilmour in Bremen after the game and labelled his Bundesliga debut as "the perfect start".
He said: "It was fantastic. There's been a lot of talk and a lot of build-up towards this game so I just couldn't wait to get out there and get started.
"It started well with the goal early on. It was a tough game; we created some good chances but just lacked the final product. They came out in the second half and caused us a couple of problems for five to 10 minutes.
"But we stayed calm and then obviously I managed to get the second goal, and then the boys finished it off from the bench.
"Overall, just the perfect start and I'm looking forward to the next week and the next one."
Questioned about his assist and dropping deeper, he replied: "You've seen with my game over the last four or five years I like to drop deep and link play.
"I think with the pace we have in this team around me it works perfectly. But I'm a No 9 first and foremost, so I've got to get in the box and make the runs forward.
"I'm really happy. We've got a fantastic squad, I'm excited to be a part of it. Overall, just a really good team performance."
Asked about his cramp in the second half and whether it was because the week had caught up with him, he laughed: "I think so! Obviously the pre-season was a bit up and down towards the end and this was my first proper game.
"Just the whole environment has changed, there's a lot going on with the family and everything so it was just a bit of cramp towards the end there."
Questioned about his first Bundesliga experience, he said: "It was great. The fans from both sides were incredible the whole game.
"[It's] really different probably to some of the Premier League atmospheres I've experienced. Our away fans were amazing but credit to their fans as well, they were great.
"I really enjoyed my experience and I'm just happy that we've come away with the win."
Kane will make his Bundesliga home debut for Bayern next weekend as the reigning champions face Augsburg at the Allianz Arena on August 27, live on Sky Sports - kick-off 4.30pm.
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