Harry Kane produced late heroics to spare Bayern Munich from a German Cup upset, scoring a stoppage-time winner in a tense 3-2 victory over third-tier side Wehen Wiesbaden. The England captain endured a mixed night, converting an early penalty before missing another in the second half, only to secure Bayern’s passage with a dramatic late strike.
Kane opened the scoring from the spot in the 16th minute, extending his remarkable record to 31 consecutive penalties converted since the 2022 World Cup. The early breakthrough was followed by a goal from new signing Michael Olise, giving the Bundesliga champions what seemed a comfortable two-goal cushion heading into the second half.
Wehen Wiesbaden, however, produced a spirited response. Fatih Kaya struck twice in six minutes to stun Bayern and bring the score level at 2-2, igniting hopes of a famous giant-killing. Kane had the chance to restore Bayern’s lead from the penalty spot in the 76th minute, but his effort was saved by goalkeeper Florian Stritzel, who also denied him twice on the rebound to keep the tie finely poised.
With the prospect of extra time looming, Kane found redemption deep into stoppage time. The striker latched onto a late opening and calmly slotted home to seal Bayern’s place in the second round, sparking relief on the visitors’ bench. It was a fitting response from the England star, who has already established himself as Bayern’s key attacking threat since arriving in Germany.
The draw for the second round of the DFB-Pokal will take place on Sunday, with Bayern now safely through but reminded of the dangers posed by lower-league opponents. For Kane, the night ended as a testament to both resilience and reliability, as he turned from potential scapegoat to match-winner in the space of 15 dramatic minutes.
