By Our Reporter
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has admitted that he failed to deliver his best performance after his side were held to a 2-2 draw by Borussia Dortmund in Saturday’s Bundesliga encounter.
The England captain, who recently won the Ballon d’Or, endured a frustrating afternoon, missing a second-half penalty and making a costly mistake that contributed to Dortmund’s equaliser.
The result leaves Bayern and Dortmund level on 18 points at the top of the Bundesliga table, with Bayern occupying first place on goal difference.
Kane received the prestigious Ballon d’Or award in his hometown of London on Monday, becoming the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 to win the honour. He is also the first Bayern Munich player in 45 years to claim the award.
The 33-year-old described the achievement as one of the greatest moments of his career but acknowledged that Saturday’s performance fell below his expectations.
“Today probably wasn’t my best performance or the team’s best performance, but that’s just life,” Kane told reporters.
He added that sometimes a striker could play for much longer without finding the back of the net and must learn to accept disappointing performances.
Kane’s struggles against Dortmund included missing a second-half penalty and losing possession through a misplaced pass intercepted by Dortmund captain Nico Schlotterbeck in the build-up to the visitors’ equaliser.
Despite his difficulties, the striker provided the assist for Dayot Upamecano’s late goal, which put Bayern 2-1 ahead.
However, former Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Fabio Silva struck in the 89th minute to secure a 2-2 draw for Dortmund.
Kane has scored four Bundesliga goals in eight appearances this season, while also registering six assists. This represents a slower start compared with his remarkable previous campaign, when he scored 73 goals for club and country.
Bayern must now turn their attention to Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Atletico Madrid, although they face concerns over their squad’s fitness.
Michael Olise, Ismael Saibari and Serge Gnabry all picked up injuries during the Dortmund encounter, adding to an existing injury list that includes Jamal Musiala and Luis Diaz.
Head coach Vincent Kompany is also recovering from meningeal irritation after collapsing during training last Friday. He was discharged from hospital on Wednesday but is expected to need more time before returning to the dugout.
Kane admitted that conceding a late equaliser was particularly frustrating but insisted Bayern must move on quickly.
The England captain also disclosed that the Ballon d’Or award would receive a special presentation with the national team during the November international break.