Harry Kane hat-trick as Bayern beat Hoffenheim to stay perfect in Bundesliga with

FC Bayern made it seven wins in a row to start the season with a 4-1 victory over Hoffenheim on Saturday. Harry Kane handed Bayern the lead before half-time and converted two penalties in the second half to round off his hat-trick. Vladimir Coufal pulled one back for the hosts in the closing stages, with Serge Gnabry sealing the final scoreline in added time.

Munich started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Sacha Boey, Minjae Kim, Jonathan Tah and Konrad Laimer in defence. Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlović anchored a midfield featuring Lennart Karl, Nicolas Jackson and Luis Díaz, with Kane up front. Joshua Kimmich, Michael Olise, Gnabry, Dayot Upamecano took over from Goretzka, Karl, Jackson and Kim after the hour, with Tom Bischof coming on for Boey in the closing stages.

Kane opens

The first half was a balanced affair. The two sides felt each other out before Fisnik Asllani intercepted a bad pass inside the box and hit the post. TSG keeper Oliver Baumann denied Kane at the other end and Bernardo headed just wide, with Karl seeing an effort saved.

Neuer proved equal to an Alexander Prass shot, with Jackson seeing his attempt saved. Bayern took the lead shortly before the break when Karl’s corner found the unmarked Kane, who finished clinically. Karl had a shot blocked before Bayern had Kim to thank for making a crucial intervention at the other end as the champions took a narrow lead into half-time.

Convincing second-half display

Bayern doubled the advantage shortly after half-time, when Kane dispatched a penalty awarded for handball. Díaz saw a shot deflected wide before firing over. Munich put the game to bed when Olise was upended just inside the box, with Kane converting the ensuing penalty for his ninth Bundesliga hat-trick.

Coufal’s free-kick found the net with the help of a deflection as the hosts got one back. Olise put a free-kick into the wall and Baumann denied Laimer and Díaz, but Gnabry found the net from a tight angle to add the final flourish.

The result means Bayern top the table on 12 points and +15 goal difference from four matches – the best record in Bundesliga history. The Bavarians will be back in action on Friday when they entertain Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen