Bayern Munich defeated a youthful Chelsea team 3-1 to start their Champions League campaign, thanks mainly to two sharp goals from star striker Harry Kane. 

The German champions quickly took a 2-0 lead after an own goal and Kane’s penalty, punishing the mistakes of the inexperienced Chelsea defense. 

While Chelsea’s Cole Palmer scored a beautiful goal to keep his team in the fight, Bayern’s quality and experience ultimately secured the win. 

The match serves as a tough but valuable lesson for Chelsea’s young squad, who must learn to maintain focus for the entire game against Europe’s top teams.

The match was defined by Harry Kane’s clinical finishing and costly errors from the visiting Chelsea team.

Bayern, known for their pedigree and Champions League history, took the lead after 20 minutes through an unfortunate own goal by defender Trevoh Chalobah. 

The advantage was doubled just seven minutes later when midfielder Moises Caicedo’s clumsy foul on Kane inside the box resulted in a penalty. 

Kane, who has been in phenomenal form this season, calmly converted the spot-kick.

Chelsea quickly responded, with Cole Palmer—one of several young players making their Champions League debut—curling a fantastic shot into the net to make the score 2-1. 

However, the German champions sealed the victory in the 63rd minute when Kane struck again, pouncing on a loose pass from Malo Gusto and firing a superb finish from outside the penalty area. 

The brace takes the 32-year-old’s tally to 10 goals in just six games this season for Bayern.

For Chelsea, who are back in Europe’s top competition after a two-year absence, the night was a harsh lesson in concentration. 

Manager Enzo Maresca fielded a side that included a high number of Champions League debutants, a clear sign of their reliance on young, developing talent. 

While they created chances, the moments of sloppiness were punished instantly by a seasoned team like Bayern.

Michael Olise was a constant threat on the wing, creating the chance that led to the opening goal and demonstrating the kind of flair that excites the home fans. 

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany praised the collective effort but particularly highlighted his star striker’s work rate, telling reporters that Kane’s consistent hard work is what produces those moments of quality. 

The presence of veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, making his 151st Champions League appearance, also underscored the difference in experience between the two squads.

Despite the loss, Chelsea showed flashes of the potential in Maresca’s squad. 

Cole Palmer’s goal was a standout moment of individual brilliance, and he also had another goal ruled out for a very marginal offside decision late in the game, which would have made for a frantic finish. 

Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez kept the score from ballooning, making several excellent saves, including one to deny Olise.

Speaking after the final whistle, Palmer admitted that the team deserved more but stressed the difference between top-level football and the Premier League: “When you make mistakes at the highest level, it’s hard to come back. We can learn a lot from this.” 

Maresca echoed this, stating that at this level, a team must play well for the entire 95 minutes, not just parts of the match. 

For the young Blues, the performance against one of Europe’s elite serves as a valuable, if costly, experience as they look ahead to their next European fixture against Benfica.