Bayern Munich 5–1 Pafos: Kane Shines as Bavarians Dominate in Cyprus

Bayern Munich thrashed Pafos 5-1 at the Alphamega Stadium, as English captain Harry Kane continued his blistering form in the UEFA Champions League this season. This was the first-ever home game for the Cypriot side in the main stages of the competition, but it turned into a night of punishment from the German champions.

Both sides lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but it proved disastrous for Pafos, who conceded four goals within 35 minutes. It was only the third occasion in Champions League history that a team has scored four goals so quickly. It also marked the heaviest defeat for the hosts in any European competition and equalled the biggest defeat by any side in their first-ever home match in the Champions League.

The match kicked off at 20:00, and by 20:15 Bayern’s Harry Kane had already opened the scoring to give his team a 1-0 lead. Just five minutes later, Raphaël Guerreiro doubled the advantage with a strike assisted by Jackson. Things went from bad to worse in the 31st minute, when Nicholas Jackson added a third from a Michael Olise assist. Moments later, Kane pierced the Pafos defence again to score his second of the night in the 34th minute, making it 4-0.

Pafos finally gave their fans something to cheer on the stroke of half-time, when Croatian forward Mislav Oršić raced onto the defence and scored an emphatic goal to make it 4-1.

The second half offered little improvement for the Cypriot side. Substitutions failed to spark a comeback, and Bayern controlled the tempo with ease. Michael Olise sealed the win in the 68th minute with Bayern’s fifth of the night, ensuring there was no way back for the hosts.

Pafos struggled throughout the match, with Bayern dominating possession (67%), registering 15 shots on target, and completing passes at 88% accuracy. The home side simply could not compete with the German champions.

In the end, it was complete domination from Bayern Munich at the Alphamega Stadium. The Bavarians sit top of their group with six points from two games, underlining their credentials as one of the favourites for the trophy.