Bayern Munich marched into the Club World Cup quarterfinals with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Brazilian side Flamengo on Sunday night, setting the stage for a heavyweight clash against Paris Saint-Germain.
Harry Kane delivered a stellar performance with a brace, while Bayern took advantage of Flamengo’s shaky defensive line, scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes to establish control. The scoring commenced early when Erick Pulgar mistakenly turned a corner into his own net in the sixth minute. Three minutes later, Kane capitalized on the momentum, striking low past Agustin Rossi off the post to double the lead.
Despite the scoreline, Flamengo remained spirited, with Luiz Araujo nearly pulling one back but denied by the reflexes of Manuel Neuer. Their persistence paid off in the 24th minute when Gerson unleashed a thunderous shot that ricocheted off the crossbar and in, lifting the largely Brazilian crowd to its feet.
Bayern responded in kind before the interval, as Leon Goretzka took full advantage of Flamengo’s open midfield to curl a long-range effort past Rossi, restoring their two-goal cushion.
Flamengo’s frustration boiled over when Pulgar clattered into Kane, causing a brief confrontation. Ten minutes into the second half, the Brazilian side clawed back again, with Jorginho calmly converting a penalty after Michael Olise was penalized for a handball.
However, it was Kane who had the final say. In the 73rd minute, the English striker found space on the edge of the box and delivered another clinical finish to seal the win for Bayern.
“It was a hard-fought game against a very good team,” Kane said after the match. “The heat made it even more challenging, but we managed the game well and took our chances.”
The victory means Bayern will now square off with PSG, who earlier in the day cruised to a commanding 4-0 win over Inter Miami.
