Harry Kane already had his trophy firmly in his hands during the lap of honour after FC Bayern's exhilarating 8-1 triumph over 1. FSV Mainz 05. Immediately after the final whistle, the 30-year-old received the match ball from referee Patrick Ittrich – a long-standing tradition among goal scorers who have scored three goals in one match. For Kane, it was the fourth time he had received this honour in a Bayern shirt after a Bundesliga fixture (previously against Bochum, Darmstadt and Dortmund). The Englishman once again stood out from an outstandingly strong collective at the home of the German record champions on Saturday afternoon.
In the 13th minute, Kane opened the scoring for Bayern, arriving once again into the right place to finish off Jamal Musiala's assist at the end of a quick attack that was typical of the team all afternoon. The Munich no. 9 followed up with his second goal of the day in inimitable style on the stroke of half-time, making it 3-1 and ensuring that any outside hopes that Mainz had after pulling a goal back were nipped in the bud.
In the second half, the forward once again demonstrated his composure when, after a brilliant save by Mainz keeper Robin Zentner, he sensed a chance after a Eric Dier header rebounded and managed to get it over the line to make it 7-1.
"We used the momentum today," said Kane, reflecting on the goal frenzy against the Zerofivers. "It was a great performance from start to finish. We took our chances against difficult opponents. Now we have to continue showing these kinds of performances in the upcoming weeks. I feel good right now and we're creating a lot of chances as a team."
In a class of his own as a provider too
The Englishman shone against Mainz not only as a goalscorer, but also grabbed an outstanding assist. In the 61st minute, Kane played the ball from the right touchline precisely into the centre, where Musiala converted to make it 5-1. "Of course I'm happy about the assist, I saw Jamal in the corner of my eye," he added. "That was perhaps one of the best assists of my career, and it's great that Jamal was able to finish so fantastically.”
After 25 matchdays, Bayern's no. 9 now has a staggering 30 goals for the season. Only the legendary Uwe Seeler has ever managed to score 30 goals in his first Bundesliga campaign. With his 30 league goals, the Englishman has also equalled his personal record. He never scored more goals for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, and Kane still has nine matchdays to go...
Praise from coach and teammates
FCB coach Thomas Tuchel waxed lyrical when asked about his striker: "He does what he always does: he scores and is a role model. He is a top player. It's a gift to be able to coach him. He proves week after week that it was the right decision to bring him here."
His teammates have also been speaking highly of Kane since the day the England captain joined FC Bayern. "He can finish well with both feet, has a great shot and is an excellent header of the ball," highlighted captain Manuel Neuer after the display against Mainz. "He has a great feeling about him and works hard for the team too."
The FCB striker's outstanding strike rate naturally raises the question: Is Robert Lewandowski’s Bundesliga record of 41 goals in 2020/21 at risk? "I have every confidence in Harry," said Bayern coach Tuchel. "There are still a few games left, so I want to keep adding more goals," added Kane meaningfully.
All the reaction to the game against Mainz:
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