Harry Kane scored twice as Bayern Munich came from behind to defeat second-division Osnabrueck 4-1 in their German Cup opener on Wednesday.

The holders were forced to respond after Robin Meissner stunned them with a superb strike from outside the penalty area after only five minutes.

Osnabrueck’s early goal raised hopes of a major cup upset, but Bayern quickly regained control.

Kane brought the visitors level by reacting to a rebound and finishing powerfully.

Tom Bischof then scored in similar fashion six minutes later to put Bayern ahead and turn the match in the holders’ favour.

Bayern remained in control after the break before Michael Olise added a third goal in the 73rd minute.

Kane completed the scoring from the penalty spot with four minutes remaining, sealing a comfortable 4-1 victory.

After the match, Kane said playing away in a strong atmosphere had made the contest difficult, particularly after Osnabrueck’s impressive opening goal.

He said Bayern had needed to remain composed after falling behind and expressed satisfaction at securing the victory.

The England captain has now scored 148 goals in 150 appearances in all competitions for Bayern Munich since joining the German club from Tottenham Hotspur in 2023.

Bayern are the most successful team in the history of the German Cup with 21 titles.

The club has not been eliminated in the first round of the competition since 1994.

Elsewhere in the competition, Borussia Dortmund opened their campaign on Tuesday with a 5-0 victory over fifth-tier HEBC in Hamburg.

Bayern will now continue their title defence after successfully navigating a potentially awkward opening-round fixture.