JIM BULLEY
LONDON — Bayern Munich beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday, finishing the preseason with a homecoming of sorts for Harry Kane and Eric Dier and a second Son Heung-min vs. Kim Min-jae Korean derby.
Neither Kane nor Dier, both former Tottenham players and now at Bayern, started the preseason friendly, but both were honored by their former club before the starting whistle.
Son and Kim both started, facing off for the second time in as many weeks after a friendly between the two teams in Seoul a week earlier. Bayern won that game 2-1.
Back in London, Spurs got off to an incredibly fast start in their final tune-up game before the start of the 2024-25 campaign, Dejan Kulusevski knocking in the opening goal just 26 seconds after the whistle blew.
Kulusevski created the opportunity himself, intercepting a ball from Kim and passing out to Son on the wing. The Korean captain crossed it back to Kulusevski in the box, who lost control of the ball only to immediately get it back on a deflection and slot it past Manuel Neuer to make it 1-0.
But that lead did not last for long. Dayot Upamecano tied things up in the 16th minute from a set piece, Guglielmo Vicario saving an initial header from a free kick, but unable to stop the Frenchman picking up the rebound and tapping it in.
Bayern added another 15 minutes later, Serge Gnabry making it 2-1 after Spurs gave the ball away in front of goal, with the visitors adding yet another in the 44th minute — another free kick, this time with Thomas Muller heading it straight in.
Dier came on at the top of the second half, substituted on in defense with Kim remaining on the pitch. Kane stayed on the bench.
Spurs were first off the mark again in the second half, Lucas Bergvall connecting with Kulusevski on the edge of the box and the Swedish midfielder slotting it home to make it 3-2.
Kane finally made his first appearance in the 78th minute, coming on to a standing ovation from the Tottenham crowd. Donning the Bayern armband, the same role he held for years at Spurs, Kane slotted straight into the middle of the Bayern lineup.
Son, who was one half of the most prolific goalscoring partnership in Premier League history with Kane, only had time for a quick hug with his former teammate before he was substituted off in the same minute.
Despite the addition of Kane's legendary right foot, Spurs were able to hold the score at 3-2 for the final 15 minutes of the game, weathering constant pressure from the German visitors.
Saturday's game concludes the preseason for Tottenham. The London club will start their Premier League season on Aug. 19 on the road against Leicester City. Bayern will face WSG Tirol in a friendly on Tuesday, before starting their season with a cup game on Aug. 16 and their first Bundesliga game on Aug. 25.
BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]