鈥楶erfect day鈥� as Kane double powers Bayern into Champions League last eight

Bayern's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Lazio at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, March 5, 2024. (AP)
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  • 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

MUNICH, Germany: 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, canceling out Lazio鈥檚 lead from the first leg with his first Champions League knockout goal in five years.
Thomas Mueller doubled the hosts鈥� 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 Bayern鈥檚 progress to the next round.
鈥淚t was a perfect night for us,鈥� Kane told Amazon Prime.
鈥淓veryone with energy, all around the pitch, the way we played and created chances and pressed without the ball 鈥� it was a top, top performance.鈥�
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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the most difficult trophy to win in Europe, probably the world,鈥� Tuchel, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, told reporters.
鈥淏ut it doesn鈥檛 get any easier or more difficult if you have a long contract or if you鈥檙e leaving at the end of the season.鈥�
Kane recognized the manner of Tuchel鈥檚 exit was 鈥渦nusual鈥� but said 鈥渘ights like this can change the season. I鈥檓 proud of the boys 鈥� we just have to keep this momentum up.鈥�
Mueller, a two-time Champions League winner, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to make sure everyone enjoys this feeling, nevermind what is in the newspaper yesterday or tomorrow.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e very happy because we know the importance of progressing further today.鈥�
The loss snuffed out Lazio鈥檚 chance of a first Champions League quarter-final appearance since 1999-2000.
Six-time European champions Bayern came into Tuesday鈥檚 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 Bayern鈥檚 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 鈥渞uthless.鈥�
On Tuesday, he benched big-money signing Kim Min-jae for Eric Dier, while moving Joshua Kimmich 鈥� a fixture in midfield for Bayern and Germany 鈥� to right-back.
Bayern pushed Lazio back early with the fit-again Sane and Jamal Musiala going close.
Scorer of the first leg鈥檚 only goal, Ciro Immobile had a golden chance to extend Lazio鈥檚 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 Tuchel鈥檚 impending departure, doubled Bayern鈥檚 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.
The England captain made sure Bayern stayed in Europe though, turning in from close range after Sane forced a save from Lazio 鈥榢eeper Ivan Provedel, his 33rd goal in as many appearances this season.
With Lazio striker Immobile taken off with a knee injury, the visitors looked toothless in attack as Bayern gently controlled proceedings to take the sting out of the game.
Bayern kept their first clean sheet in eight games with captain Manuel Neuer equalling the Champions League record of 57 set by Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas.