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Harry Kane’s penalty in Tuesday’s 2-2 Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Arsenal cemented his place in history.
Tottenham Hotspur’s all-time record striker returned to a hostile Emirates atmosphere after a spectacular start in Bavaria, scoring 38 goals in his first 37 games for Bayern Munich.
Kane, Arsenal’s perennial foe in the Premier League, scored 14 goals in 19 North London derbies, making the Gunners his third-favorite opponent after Leicester City (20) and Everton (16).
On his 20th match against the Gunners, Kane and his Bayern teammates were initially disappointed, but the former’s England teammate Bukayo Saka struck brilliantly into the bottom corner to break the tie.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side’s first-half defensive collapse allowed Bayern to turn the tide, with Serge Gnabry – a former Arsenal winger – levelling the scores with a low effort through David Raya’s legs.
Harry Kane maintains his prolific Emirates streak
The previously robust Arsenal defence was then split apart by a mazy Leroy Sane run, which concluded with William Saliba fouling the ex-Manchester City star inside the box, allowing Kane to finish from 12 yards out.
The 30-year-old was facing a stadium full of Arsenal fans because Bayern supporters were forbidden from entering, but he calmly slid the ball into the bottom corner after seeing Raya make his decision early on.
Kane’s exquisite penalty kick to put Bayern ahead 2-1 was his sixth goal at the Emirates Stadium, and he now owns the record for most goals scored by a visiting player at Arsenal’s new home.
The England captain has surpassed Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy and Liverpool’s Diogo Jota, both of whom have five Emirates goals, and he is also the 2023-24 Champions League’s leading scorer with seven goals.
However, Kane’s penalty – his seventh successful spot kick against Arsenal – was insufficient to send Bayern back to Bavaria with a first-leg lead, as Leandro Trossard equalised for the Gunners late in the second half.
Harry Kane: Creating Milestones
Following Tuesday’s explosive four-goal game, Kane talked to TNT Sports on the sideline in front of a group of Arsenal fans who were mocking the England captain.
However, Kane dismissed the jeers and lauded the draw as a “small step” in the right direction for Bayern, who will formally lose the Bundesliga crown this weekend if Bayer Leverkusen – 16 points ahead – defeats Werder Bremen.
“I think they have a soft respect for me!” Kane stated. “Having no fans here tonight was difficult. Having a full stadium [next week] will motivate us. We had a great opportunity to go up 3-1, but Leroy [Sane] failed to convert.
“My personal experience in Germany has been great. To experience a different culture and league. The league has ended this season, but I have been there for a long time. You witnessed a very determined team today. We needed to demonstrate both unity and fighting spirit. Today was a little step in the right way.”
Kane was not the only one to break a record on Tuesday evening; Trossard’s equaliser propelled the Arsenal winger into the elite club of Champions League players who have scored in their first four home games.
