Kane’s hat-trick sends Bayern eight points clear

A second-half Harry Kane hat-trick secured Bayern Munich a 3-0 home win over Augsburg on Friday, extending their lead at the top of the Bundesliga table to eight points ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

Bayern, unbeaten in the league during the 2024-25 season, dominated throughout but faced resilient defending from their Bavarian neighbours.

After 61 minutes, a handball by Augsburg’s Mads Pedersen in the box, confirmed by VAR, allowed the England captain to convert a penalty and put Bayern ahead.

In stoppage time, Kane earned another penalty after being fouled by Keven Schlotterbeck, who received a second yellow card and was sent off. Kane calmly scored from the spot again.

The England striker completed his hat-trick by heading in a cross, marking his seventh treble since joining Bayern. He now has 14 goals in 11 league matches, with five coming from penalties.

“We knew it would be difficult to break them down. At halftime, we said, ‘Just keep doing what we’re doing.’ Thankfully, we got the penalty to open the game up and then finished it off,” Kane told DAZN.

Reflecting on his penalties, Kane said: “I work on them a lot. They’re a big part of the game. Thankfully, they helped us today. Of course, I’ve missed many in training, but that’s the time to miss them,” he laughed.

Neuer Boost for Bayern

Pre-match, Bayern received a lift as captain and veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was cleared to start despite missing training with a rib issue.

Bayern dominated possession but struggled to break through Augsburg’s defence in the first half. Goalkeeper Nediljko Labrovic thwarted chances from Jamal Musiala and Leon Goretzka.

Eventually, Bayern broke Augsburg’s resistance with 30 minutes remaining, capitalising on Pedersen’s handball.

While Bayern soar in the Bundesliga, they have faced challenges in the Champions League, currently sitting 17th after four games, six points behind leaders Liverpool.

Tuesday’s match with PSG, also struggling in the tournament, is seen as crucial for both teams.

Kane expressed optimism about Bayern’s upcoming fixtures, including a trip to Borussia Dortmund and a German Cup clash with holders Bayer Leverkusen.

“It’s a big week ahead, but the team is feeling good. We just need to maintain this momentum,” Kane added.

AFP