Bayern beat 10-man Hoffenheim

FC Bayern beat Hoffenheim 5-1 on Sunday to restore their six-point lead in the Bundesliga. Hoffenheim were reduced to 10 men when Kevin Akpoguma saw a red card after a quarter-hour, with Harry Kane converting the ensuing penalty to hand Bayern the lead. Andrej Kramarić levelled the scores, but Bayern struck twice before half-time, with Kane converting another penalty before Luis Díaz increased the advantage. Díaz added two more goals in the second half to round off his first hat-trick for the club.

Bayern started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Josip Stanišić, Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah and Alphonso Davies in defence. Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlović anchored a midfield featuring Michael Olise, Serge Gnabry and Díaz, with Kane up front. Hiroki Ito, Lennart Karl, Jamal Musiala, Nicolas Jackson and Konrad Laimer took over from Tah, Olise, Gnary, Kane and Davies in the second half.

Entertaining first half

Munich got off to the better start and Gnabry fired wide before Olise saw a shot saved. Pavlović headed wide and another Gnabry effort was blocked, but Akpoguma soon upended Díaz in the box and received his marching orders, with Kane dispatching from the spot.

TSG had their first chance when Ozan Kabak miscued a header, before keeper Oliver Baumann parried a Díaz effort and Kane put the rebound wide. Fisnik Asllani’s header hit the bar and Neuer made a fine save against Kramarić, but the visitors levelled when Asllani intercepted a Neuer pass and invited Kramarić to tap in. Munich were awarded another penalty when Vladimir Coufal brought down Díaz, with Kane rounding off his brace from 12 yards. Vincent Kompany’s men soon made it three, Kane leading a break and finding Díaz to curl home on the stroke of half-time.

Díaz shines

Baumann denied Kane and Neuer made a strong save against Asllani, but Bayern put the game to bed when Olise cut back for Díaz to score from close range. Kane was denied by Baumann and the crossbar.

The game ebbed for a spell, but Bayern upped the ante again in the closing stages. Díaz miscued a header and Karl fired wide before Neuer proved equal to Max Moerstedt’s deflected shot. Hoffenheim failed to clear their lines liate on and Musiala picked out Díaz, who found the bottom right corner of the net for his hat-trick.

The result means Bayern top the table on 54 points from 21 matches, six clear of Borussia Dortmund. The Bavarians will be back in action on Wednesday when they entertain RB Leipzig in the DFB Cup quarter-finals.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen