Kenyan winger features as FC Koln are downed by Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich

STARS ABROAD Kenyan winger features as FC Koln are downed by Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich

Mark Kinyanjui 10:35 - 25.11.2023

The 24-year-old clocked 90 minutes against Bayern but could not help FC Koln avoid yet another Bundesliga defeat.

Kenyan winger Linton Maina featured but could not prevent FC Koln from avoiding yet another defeat, this time to Bayern Munich courtesy of a Harry Kane goal on Friday night.

Maina did not have a particularly impressive display as he failed to pick up where he left off in his last two Bundesliga games where he had registered a goal and an assist.

Playing off the left flank, he looked isolated at best. He only touched the ball 35 times and made 10 accurate passes. 

He had a shot on target, but his take ons on the day were particularly unsuccessful, as he failed to beat his man from two attempts.

Bayern dominated from the off and almost took an early lead, but a Choupo-Moting effort went just wide before Timo Hübers beat Kane to a low cross and hit his own post. 

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Sané saw a chip saved when through on goal, with Neuer denying Dejan Ljubičić at the other end. Köln's approach was bold at first but it allowed Bayern space to counter.

Choupo-Moting had a shot cleared off the line but Kane was on hand to mop up the rebound and score his 18th goal after a mere 12 Bundesliga appearances - a new record and the most in a single season by an Englishman.

Further chances came and went for Choupo-Moting, Sané, and Coman as the home side dropped increasingly deeper.

Neuer saved a Rasmus Carstensen header before his Köln counterpart Marvin Schwäbe denied Coman, and the sides went into half-time with Munich a goal to the good.

Clear-cut chances were at a premium after the restart, with Bayern happy to sit back and wait for a mistake. Hübers headed over, with Choupo-Moting seeing a shot blocked.

The game sprang to life again in the last quarter-hour, Kane seeing a header deflected behind before a Sané shot was blocked. 

Coman’s header hit the crossbar, Neuer beat Luca Waldschmidt to a ball and Mazraoui saw an effort blocked as Bayern sealed a narrow but deserved victory.

The result means Bayern have 31 points from 12 matches, one clear of Bayer Leverkusen, who take on Werder Bremen on Saturday.

The Bavarians will be back in action on Wednesday when they entertain Copenhagen in the Champions League, while Koln will have to wait a week to make amends by beating Damsdart next week.