Olise's Late Strike Sends Bayern into Club World Cup Knockouts

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Michael Olise's late-game heroics propelled Bayern Munich into the Club World Cup knockout stages with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Boca Juniors on Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium.

The German champions secured their second consecutive Group C win, clinching a round of 16 berth with one match remaining in the group stage.

Olise's 84th-minute winner came after an impressive equalizer from Boca's Miguel Merentiel, who leveled the score in the 66th minute with a spectacular solo effort.

Bayern initially took control through Harry Kane's clinical 18th-minute finish, though the Bundesliga side squandered multiple opportunities to extend their lead before Merentiel's equalizer.

"We knew it wasn't going to be easy coming into a hostile environment with hot weather," Kane said. "This is a massive tournament against the world's best teams. When we compete at our highest level, we can beat most opponents."

The victory came with significant concern as rising star Jamal Musiala exited with an apparent injury just 25 minutes after entering as a substitute. The 22-year-old German international, recently recovered from a hamstring injury, was replaced by veteran Thomas Müller in the 82nd minute.

Boca Juniors remain mathematically alive in the tournament but face a challenging path to advancement. The Argentine side must defeat Auckland City decisively on Tuesday while hoping Bayern defeats Benfica in the concurrent group stage finale.