Harry Kane delivered a commanding performance, scoring two first-half goals to propel Bayern Munich to a decisive 3-0 victory over Werder Bremen. This crucial win reinstated Bayern's six-point advantage at the summit of the Bundesliga standings, effectively countering Borussia Dortmund's earlier 4-0 triumph against Mainz, which had momentarily narrowed the gap to just three points.
Kane's Prolific Scoring Streak Continues
The England captain opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, calmly converting a penalty awarded after a VAR review confirmed a foul on Lennart Karl inside the box. Remarkably, this marked the third consecutive match where Kane has given Bayern the lead from the penalty spot. Demonstrating his versatility, Kane doubled Bayern's lead merely three minutes later with a precise low shot from the edge of the box that found the net via the right post.
With these goals, Kane's tally now stands at an impressive 26 goals in 22 Bundesliga appearances this season and 41 across all competitions. Notably, 13 of these goals have come from penalty kicks, underscoring his reliability from the spot. Leon Goretzka sealed the victory in the 70th minute, adding a third goal to ensure Bayern's dominance from start to finish.
Team Updates and Match Dynamics
Bayern faced the absence of the suspended Michael Olise, marking the first time in 89 matches across all competitions that the French winger, who joined from Crystal Palace in 2024, was unavailable. Despite a resilient start from Werder Bremen, who managed to keep Bayern at bay initially, Kane's breakthrough shifted momentum entirely.
In a concerning development for Bayern, captain Manuel Neuer was substituted at halftime due to a recurring calf injury. Werder Bremen showed brief signs of life after the break, with Marco Gruell hitting the post, but Goretzka's goal ultimately extinguished any hopes of a comeback.
Bundesliga Roundup: Other Key Matches
In other Bundesliga action, Hoffenheim solidified their hold on third place with a convincing 3-0 home win over Freiburg. Goals from Fisnik Asllani, Ozan Kabak, and Valentin Gendrey highlighted their remarkable turnaround this season, positioning them strongly for Champions League qualification after narrowly avoiding relegation last term.
Bayer Leverkusen, the 2024 title winners, secured a dominant 4-0 victory against St Pauli, climbing to fourth place. Former Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah opened the scoring with a header in the 13th minute, followed swiftly by a goal from Patrik Schick. Edmond Tapsoba and Ernest Poku added second-half goals to complete the rout.
Eintracht Frankfurt enjoyed a 3-0 home win over Borussia Mönchengladbach, giving new coach Albert Riera his first victory since taking charge. Goals from Nathaniel Brown, Ayoube Amaimouni, and Ansgar Knauff propelled Frankfurt into seventh place. Meanwhile, Hamburg staged a comeback to defeat Union Berlin 3-2, moving into ninth position.
European Football Highlights
In Ligue 1, league leaders Paris Saint-Germain suffered a surprising 3-1 defeat to Rennes, ending a turbulent week for the latter after sacking head coach Habib Beye. Mousa Tamari and Esteban Lepaul gave Rennes an early 2-0 lead, with Ousmane Dembélé pulling one back for PSG before Breel Embolo sealed the win.
Dembélé reflected on the loss, stating, "We started the game badly, but Rennes played a very good game. We have to put more desire. We have to play for Paris Saint-Germain to win matches because if we play alone on the pitch it's not going to work, we're not going to win the titles we want."
In Serie A, Milan enhanced their title hopes with a 2-1 away win at Pisa, courtesy of a late winner from Luka Modric, keeping pressure on leaders Inter.
