Many absences, many previous games and a lot of luck: FC Bayern Munich secured a 4-0 (2-0) victory at 1. FC Heidenheim to conclude the year in the German Bundesliga.
Two rebounded goals from Josip Stanisic (15th minute) and Michael Olise (32nd), as well as several missed top chances for the hosts, ensured a winning end to 2025 in the Bundesliga. Luis Diaz (85th) and Harry Kane (90+3) made the scoreline more convincing than it was.
For Bayern, the year-end match marked a premiere. Due to the injury-related absences of Manuel Neuer and Joshua Kimmich, Kane was allowed to lead the Munich team onto the field as captain for the first time. A familiar role for the striker, who also serves as player-chief for the English national team, but a new one for him at the German record champions.
At Bayern, the year-end match marked a premiere. Kane had previously impressed in his role as a goalscorer and, during the week, had set his sights on breaking Robert Lewandowski’s record. “I think that’s possible, especially with the start I’ve had this year,” Kane told “Sky” about whether he could surpass the Pole’s 41 goals from the 2020/21 season. The 32-year-old had scored 18 times before the match against Heidenheim this season.
Stanisic Utilizes the Rebound for the Lead
From the start, it became clear that it would be an evening where Kane would have the opportunity to further improve his tally. Bayern had the more dangerous chances, with Jonathan Tah having the first opportunity in the 12th minute after a free-kick. Goalkeeper Diant Ramaj was able to defuse it. Shortly afterwards, the goalkeeper was again on hand to deny Tah, but the ball bounced straight to Stanisic, who headed it in to make it 1-0 (15th).
Kompany’s team had over 80 percent possession and stifled the few Heidenheim counterattacks immediately. The most dangerous moment came when a cross from Jonas Föhrenbach was narrowly missed by several Heidenheim players (28th).
FC Bayern Also Scores Through Olise After a Rebound
The Bayern players were dominant, but the game wasn’t without luck. The first Bayern goal was a bit of a scramble, and the second was even more so. After a cross, Ramaj and Mainka collided, resulting in Ito getting a shot off – Mainka’s prone leg blocked it on the line, but the rebound fell to Olise, who tapped it in from close range (32nd).
Bayern acted very sovereignly, but Kane’s game wasn’t at its best. In the first half, he had one (not too dangerous) shot on goal with a probability of success of 0.03. After the challenge to Lewandowski and the appointment as captain, there was still plenty of room for improvement for the striker in the second half.
Kane Misses the Big Chance for His 19th Season Goal
In the 53rd minute, Kane had his first big moment. First, he brilliantly turned around Mainka in a captain’s duel, but then his low shot only hit the post – it was a chance he usually doesn’t miss. Shortly afterwards, the ball hit the aluminum again, but on the other side. Heidenheim’s top joker Stefan Schimmer got his head to the ball, but his header landed just wide of the crossbar (55th).
Overall, Bayern gave the guests more space and were themselves significantly sloppier. Kompany’s intention was likely to have his team decide the game early to conserve energy for the winter break. However, Kane also missed after Ramaj’s mistake in his own penalty area, with the goalkeeper just scraping the ball off his foot (66th).
Ibrahimovic and Schimmer Miss Heidenheim’s Connection
As a result, Arijon Ibrahimovic had a one-on-one chance to close the gap, but the Bayern loanee shot completely over the bar (68th). The Bayern players were showing the effects of numerous absences, as well as the strains of recent months. The record champions could no longer maintain the pressure of the first half, and they simply lacked the strength.
So, it remained a victory for Bayern, which was deserved, but also lucky due to the circumstances of their own goals and the missed chances of Heidenheim. And it became even more convincing after Diaz’s goal (85th).
Kane Still Scores
That was especially true when Kane scored his 19th goal of the season in the third minute of stoppage time and celebrated a milestone. It was his 100th goal involvement in the Bundesliga for FC Bayern.
With 41 points from 45 possible, Bayern ends a near-perfect first half of the year, with a nine-point lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund before the restart against VfL Wolfsburg on January 11th (5:30 PM). “In the first half, it was a really good performance from us. Then we made some mistakes, but that’s part of football. Overall, it was a good win for us and we’re looking forward to the new year,” Kane told “DAZN”.
Heidenheim coach Schmidt highlights next games
Heidenheim goes into the winter break with a clear defeat as the second-to-last (eleven points), but should be encouraged by their performance in the Bundesliga. The team, coached by Frank Schmidt, will face 1. FC Köln on January 10th to earn more points.
“It was clear that after 0-2 it would be difficult. But then we missed one hundred percent chances, if that 1-2 falls, it could get interesting again. 0-4 sounds brutal, but I don’t think the game was like that,” Schmidt said in a Sportschau interview: “We will think about what we need to do to take a step further in the game against Cologne, because then the games against the teams that are closer to us will come. The gap is not so big that you can’t have any fantasies that we can climb a few places.”
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