Bayern Munich needed Harry Kane to bail them out again, and he did. That's the story. Whether you find that reassuring or slightly concerning for a side meant to be title challengers depends on your patience for nervy afternoons against newly promoted opposition.

Sunday's 2-1 win over SV Elversberg in the Bundesliga was never the comfortable afternoon Vincent Kompany's side would have wanted, but they got the three points, and Kane got his first Bundesliga goal of the campaign. Bank it and move on.

Krattenmacher Pricked Bayern's Bubble

Bayern made the better start in terms of taking the lead. Lennart Karl broke the deadlock on 26 minutes, picking up Ismael Saibari's cutback and smashing home from close range. Straightforward stuff. Job half done.

Then came the second half, and with it, the wobble. Elversberg had been in the game throughout. Lukas Petkov had caused problems early on, a Cole Campbell goal was disallowed following a VAR check for offside, and goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof had kept things tight at the other end. The hosts were not going away quietly.

Sure enough, Maurice Krattenmacher pulled them level in the 61st minute. Not a scruffy equaliser you can dismiss either. He struck from outside the box and it nestled into the top corner. Superb finish. Bayern, suddenly, had a problem.

Kompany responded with a quadruple substitution. Luis Diaz came off the bench and almost made an instant impact, but his backheel was held by Kristof. For a moment or two, it looked like it might be one of those days.

Kane Makes Himself the Answer

It was not one of those days, because Kane was on the pitch. Aleksandar Pavlovic picked him out inside the box in the 72nd minute, and the striker did what he does: blasted it past Kristof to put Bayern back in front with 18 minutes of normal time left.

That was his [first Bundesliga goal of the campaign](/uprise/football/harry-kane-and-alessia-russo-among-nominees-for-this-years), and the timing of it was everything. Elversberg pushed for a leveller, with Noel Futkeu firing wide and Kristof pulling off a save from a Kane header going the other way, before also tipping a Joshua Kimmich effort over. Bayern dug in and saw it out.

The win returns Kompany's side to winning ways in the Bundesliga after last Saturday's goalless draw with Schalke, and moves them up to fourth in the table. Elversberg drop to sixth after what was, by any honest assessment, a creditable performance from a side that gave Bayern a genuine fright. Anyone following [how this Bundesliga season is shaping up](/uprise/football/european-football-dortmund-win-again-but-freiburg-top-after-gladbach) will have noticed there are no soft afternoons on offer this season.

Verdict: Three points, one goal Kane, job done. But Bayern were there for the taking for long stretches of this match, and sides with more quality than Elversberg will take notice. Kompany needs his team performing for 90 minutes, not just 18.