BERLIN, March 10: Harry Kane is closing in on Robert Lewandowski’s goal record in a single Bundesliga season at his first attempt.
The England captain scored a hat trick and set up two goals as Bayern Munich reduced Bayer Leverkusen’s lead to seven points with an 8-1 rout of Mainz on Saturday.
It was the second straight game that Kane scored two goals or more, and the second successive match in which Bayern looked like its old self after a 3-0 win over Lazio in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Kane now has 30 goals in just 25 Bundesliga appearances. Nine rounds remain for him to outscore Lewandowski’s mark of 41 from 2021.
Bayern didn’t have to wait long for a familiar face to break the deadlock when Jamal Musiala set up Kane for his 28th goal of the season in the 13th minute.
Kane struck the post with a header and Leon Goretzka connected with the rebound to make it 2-0 in the 19th.
But then Nadiem Amiri pulled one back with a thumping free kick in the 31st.
Kane made it 3-1 before the break, and Musiala set up Thomas Müller for 4-1 after it.
Kane returned Musiala’s earlier favour for the 21-year-old Germany midfielder to score in the 61st minute and Bayern still pushed for more.
Serge Gnabry made it six goals with his heel in the 66th, and Kane completed his fourth Bundesliga hat trick in the 70th.
Goretzka completed the rout in injury time.
The only damper from a Bayern perspective was the injury that forced Alphonso Davis off early after getting a kick to the face. (AP)
