BERLIN — In a dominant performance, Harry Kane struck a hat trick for Bayern Munich, leading them to a 3-0 victory over Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Friday evening.
This win allows Bayern to extend their lead to eight points at the top of the table during the 11th round of matches, while Kane has increased his goal tally to an impressive 14, placing him at the top of the league’s scoring chart.
Despite the victory, coach Vincent Kompany may need to examine his team’s consistent struggle to convert control into goals, as evident in their earlier 1-0 wins against St. Pauli and Benfica.
The match remained tightly contested, with Kane securing the match’s outcome with his second penalty during stoppage time. Just two minutes later, he added a third goal with a header, further elevating the scoreline.
Bayern maintained the majority of possession and created numerous chances, yet Augsburg’s defense, led by goalkeeper Nediljko Labrovi?, put up a strong fight, preventing Kane and Jamal Musiala from finding the net in the first half.
At the other end, Bayern’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, returning from a rib injury, was relatively untroubled throughout the match.
The second half saw Musiala, Leon Goretzka, and Michael Olise all threaten the Augsburg goal, but their efforts were thwarted by Labrovi? and the visitors’ solid defense.
The breakthrough came when Mads Pedersen was penalized for handball following a VAR review, allowing Kane to convert the penalty successfully in the 63rd minute.
Bayern continued to dominate possession at around 80%, but it wasn’t until a late foul by Keven Schlotterbeck on Kane that they added the final penalty. Kane confidently scored again in the third minute of stoppage time, with enough time remaining for him to potentially add yet another to his tally.
This victory marks Bayern’s seventh consecutive win since their 4-1 defeat at Barcelona in the Champions League on October 23.
Looking ahead, Bayern will host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday, face Borussia Dortmund in an away Bundesliga match next weekend, and then welcome reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen for the third round of the German Cup.