- Kane scored from the spot to put Bayern ahead
- Had little trouble sending Raya the wrong way
- Revealed that he had studied the keeper's approach before facing him
Getty
GettyArticle continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Bukayo Saka's early goal for Arsenal was swiftly countered by Serge Gnabry's equaliser just six minutes for Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Emirates Stadium. However, it was Kane's penalty that stole the spotlight, as he tweaked his approach to catch Arsenal goalkeeper Raya off guard. Instead of sticking to his typical routine, Kane strategically paused during his run-up, causing Raya to commit early and enabling the striker to slot the ball into the opposite corner.
Getty ImagesKane's unconventional penalty stemmed from meticulous research on Raya's penalty-saving tactics. The striker admitted that he had analysed footage from Arsenal's previous Champions League encounter against Porto, where Raya showcased his shot-stopping abilities during a penalty shootout to propel the Gunners to a memorable victory in the round of 16 stage.
Reflecting on his goal, Kane told TNT Sports: "I did some research on his [shoot-out] against Porto – he really gets to the corners early. So I had to change my style a little bit. It was nice to see him go early and make it easy for me."
The goal marked Kane's 15th strike against Arsenal in 20 appearances. However, it was his first since moving to Germany in the summer with his previous 14 goals coming in Tottenham colours.
Getty ImagesWith Leandro Trossard's late equaliser for Arsenal, the tie remains finely poised as both teams prepare for the second leg at the Allianz Arena on April 17.
Kane is confident that Bayern would be able to sail through to the next round backed by a packed stadium in Germany after the Bavarian fans were banned from attending the away fixture by a UEFA ruling.
"Having no fans here tonight was tough. Having a full stadium [next week] will push us on," said Kane.
"We had a big chance to go 3-1 up but Leroy [Sane] didn’t put it away unfortunately.I t’s been an amazing experience in Germany personally. To see a different culture and a different league. The league is gone this season but I am there for a long time. You saw a really determined team today. We had to show togetherness and show fight. Today was a small step in the right direction."
Looking ahead, Bayern Munich and Arsenal face domestic challenges before renewing hostilities in the Champions League. The Gunners face a tricky fixture against Aston Villa in the Premier League, while Bayern take on Koln in the Bundesliga.