Harry KanePlayer·Harry Kane's unflinching reliability from the penalty spot met its first BundesligaCompetition·Bundesliga test on Saturday evening, as the Bayern MunichTeam·Bayern Munich striker blazed a 35th-minute kick high and wide in his side's 1-0 win at Wolfsburg. The miss snapped a streak of 24 successful conversions since his arrival from Tottenham Hotspur in summer 2023, including 10 from 11 this season. Yet Bayern pressed on, with Michael OlisePlayer·Michael Olise delivering the decisive blow to extend their dominance in the 2025/26 campaign.
The incident unfolded at the Volkswagen Arena during Matchday 33, with the score locked at 0-0. Olise, Bayern's dynamic winger, earned the spot-kick after a VAR-confirmed foul by Wolfsburg defender Konstantinos KoulierakisPlayer·Konstantinos Koulierakis in the box. Kane stepped forward, his standing foot slipping midway through his run-up—a rare lapse that sent the ball soaring over the bar to the goalkeeper's right. Kamil GrabaraPlayer·Kamil Grabara, Wolfsburg's keeper, had committed the opposite way, leaving the net exposed but untouched.
Eagle-eyed observers noted Wolfsburg centre-back Jeanuël Belocian trampling the penalty area moments earlier, a detail Kane appeared to inspect in evident surprise afterward. Whether deliberate or coincidental, the moment humanized a player who had converted 92.5 percent of his 40 Bayern penalties across competitions entering the game.
Bayern refused to dwell. Olise redeemed the profligacy in the 56th minute, curling a sublime right-footed effort from distance off the crossbar and in—his precision underscoring Bayern's threat on the break. Wolfsburg mounted a late response, Mattias SvanbergPlayer·Mattias Svanberg striking the woodwork, but Bayern's backline, anchored by keeper Jonas UrbigPlayer·Jonas Urbig, held firm. Substitutes like Luis DiazPlayer·Luis Diaz added fresh legs, while Oliver Sonne's interventions proved crucial.
This marked Bayern's third straight away win at the venue, following 3-2 and 2-1 triumphs in prior visits. Already confirmed as BundesligaCompetition·Bundesliga champions, they now eye their penultimate league fixture against Cologne before the DFB-Pokal final versus VfB StuttgartTeam·VfB Stuttgart. The result cements their grip on a potential domestic double, even as form has flickered post their UEFA Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League semi-final exit to Paris Saint-Germain.
For Kane, the blemish stings amid a prolific season: 33 BundesligaCompetition·Bundesliga goals place him 14 clear of VfB StuttgartTeam·VfB Stuttgart's Deniz UndavPlayer·Deniz Undav, positioning him for a third consecutive Torjägerkanone—the first player to claim the top-scorer award in his initial three German top-flight campaigns. Across 49 competitive matches, he has netted 55 times. The miss likely dashes his bid to surpass his personal BundesligaCompetition·Bundesliga record of 36 goals from his 2023/24 debut year; four more elude him with one league game remaining.
Wolfsburg, mired in 16th and six points from safety ahead of Werder BremenTeam·Werder Bremen in 15th, saw the defeat intensify their relegation fight. Bayern's clinical edge, even without a Kane penalty, highlighted their depth and resilience. Kane's earlier misses this term—against Union Saint-Gilloise in Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League qualifying and Wehen Wiesbaden in the DFB-Pokal—served as reminders of mortality, yet his output endures.
As the champions navigate the season's close, this narrow victory reaffirms their command. Kane's streak may have ended, but his influence—and Bayern's title procession—shows no sign of abating.
Harry Kane and Michael Olise in action during Bayern Munich's 1-0 win over Wolfsburg. Christian Schroedter/IMAGO
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