Smoke, stoppage and history: Bayern win halted as fans lose sight of Harry Kane

Bayern Munich’s 3-1 victory over FC Koln will be remembered as much for its dramatic delay as for the records it produced, after thick smoke from flares forced the Bundesliga clash to be suspended shortly after kick-off.

The match at RheinEnergieStadion was stopped just four minutes in due to extremely poor visibility caused by a large-scale pyrotechnic display from the home supporters. Smoke quickly engulfed the stadium, leaving fans struggling to see the pitch, let alone players such as Harry Kane. After a nine-minute delay, officials deemed conditions safe enough to resume play, allowing the contest to continue under clearer skies. Despite the unusual interruption, Bayern showed resilience to maintain their commanding position at the top of the Bundesliga table.

Vincent Kompany’s side did not have things their own way early on. Koln stunned the visitors by taking the lead through Linton Maina, briefly igniting hopes of an upset on a night already filled with disruption. Bayern responded before the break, however, with Serge Gnabry finding the net during an extended period of first-half stoppage time.

Kane, who had scored in Bayern’s emphatic 8-1 win over Wolfsburg the previous weekend, was unable to add to his tally this time. Instead, it was defender Kim Min-jae who stepped up in the second half, heading home the go-ahead goal in the 71st minute. Teenager Lennart Karl then sealed the points late on, underlining Bayern’s squad depth and attacking variety.

The victory carried significant historical weight. Bayern have now equalled their best-ever points total after 17 Bundesliga matches, a feat previously achieved during Pep Guardiola’s 2013-14 season. Even more striking is their attacking output, with 66 goals scored so far, a new league record at this stage of a campaign.

While Kane’s quiet night in front of goal may raise mild questions, his overall numbers remain exceptional. The England captain still leads Bayern’s scoring charts in the Bundesliga and is on course for another prolific season. With the Champions League set to return next week, Kompany will hope his striker rediscovers his sharpness quickly.

Beyond the goals and records, the night also served as a reminder of the fine line between atmosphere and disruption. The delay ultimately did little to derail Bayern’s momentum, but it sparked renewed discussion around fan behaviour and matchday safety.

In the end, Bayern left Cologne with history made, three more points secured, and their title charge firmly on track, even if the opening minutes were lost in smoke.