Kane's Hat-Trick Leads Bayern Munich to Victory Over Hoffenheim
Harry Kane scored his second hat-trick of the season as Bayern Munich overcame a shaky start to secure a victory against Hoffenheim, maintaining their perfect record.
The England captain, 32, broke the deadlock just before halftime with a precise first-time finish from a well-executed low corner. He then doubled Bayern's lead from the penalty spot after Albian Hajdari was controversially penalized for a handball.
This goal marked the beginning of Hoffenheim's decline, as Kane completed his ninth Bundesliga hat-trick with another penalty, awarded following a video assistant referee (VAR) review for a foul on substitute Michael Olise.
Kane confidently sent Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann the wrong way, bringing his tally to 13 goals for Bayern in just seven matches across all competitions this season, which includes a double against Chelsea in the Champions League earlier in the week.
Hoffenheim had the upper hand in the first half, with Fisnik Asllani hitting the post after Bayern’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer inadvertently passed the ball directly to him.
They eventually found the net, as former West Ham full-back Vladimir Coufal scored his first goal for the club with a deflected free-kick that slipped past Neuer.
Late in the match, ex-Liverpool winger Luis Diaz struck the crossbar, failing to extend his record of scoring in every Bundesliga game this season. However, Serge Gnabry sealed the win for Bayern with a fourth goal, converting a rebound from a tight angle after Baumann saved a shot from Joshua Kimmich.
Nicolas Jackson made his first start for Bayern after joining on an initial loan deal from Chelsea, but the Senegal striker had a subdued performance and was substituted in the 62nd minute.