MIAMI :Harry Kane scored twice as Bayern Munich tamed Flamengo 4-2 in a tense affair at the Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday to set up a much-anticipated all-European quarter-final against Paris St Germain at the Club World Cup.
Erick Pulgar’s own goal opened the scoring for Bayern and Leon Goretzka was also on target for the German side, while Flamengo, who were defensively naive, twice reduced the deficit through Gerson and Jorginho.
Backed by a raucous crowd, Flamengo played with aggression but Bayern converted all their shots on target and reaped the rewards of a fast start, scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes.
“It was tough. We were playing against a really good side in difficult conditions, it was really hot,” Kane said.
“I thought we played well for large spells but every time we got away they clawed their way back and made it difficult. The fourth goal was important to ease the nerves and from there we managed it well.”
Earlier on Sunday, Champions League winners PSG sent a brutal reminder of their firepower when they cruised past Inter Miami 4-0, taking their foot off the pedal after the break in what could have turned into a humiliation for Lionel Messi’s MLS team.
Bayern got off to a flying start, opening the scoring in the sixth minute when Pulgar deflected a corner kick into his own net.
Three minutes later, Kane doubled the advantage with a low shot that went in off the post.
Flamengo got into something of a groove and went close in the 15th minute, only for Manuel Neuer to save Luiz Araujo’s effort from point-blank range.
Shortly after the cooling break, the Brazilian side pulled one back as Gerson fired a missile that went in off the underside of the bar, triggering a deafening roar from the crowd.
Bayern, however, restored their two-goal lead before the interval when Goretzka, capitalising on the space left by the Flamengo defence, whipped a shot from outside the box past keeper Agustin Rossi.
Tempers flared after a poor challenge by Pulgar on Kane as Flamengo struggled to contain their frustration.
Filipe Luis’s side pulled one back again 10 minutes into the second half, Jorginho sending Neuer the wrong way after they were awarded a penalty for a Michael Olise handball.
The momentum had swung and Flamengo threatened with quick breaks, but Bayern held firm before finding the back of the net once more through Kane, who beat Rossi with another clinical low shot in the 73rd minute.
