Kane scores hat-trick as Bayern hit eight against sorry Mainz
Trailing league leaders Bayer Leverkusen by 10 points at the start of play, Bayern fans knew that a perfect run-in would likely be needed if they were to stand any chance of retaining the Meisterschale.
After a confident start, the hosts took an early lead when Jamal Musiala latched onto Thomas Muller’s cross, tempting Robin Zentner off his line and laying off Harry Kane to tap home.
Just six minutes later, Mainz were caught cold from a quickly taken free-kick, as Kane nodded Joshua Kimmich’s delivery against the woodwork before allowing Leon Goretzka’s follow-up to drift past him, bouncing off the opposite post on the way in.
Die Nullfunfer were being pulled apart and had to rely on VAR to correctly overturn a Bayern penalty award, yet moments later, the visitors halved the deficit against the run of play when Nadiem Amiri struck into the top corner from range.
However, Bayern finished a dominant half firmly on top, forcing Sepp van den Berg to clear Muller’s looping header off the line minutes before a predatory Kane restored his side’s two-goal cushion with a delicate touch and finish on the stroke of halftime.
After a captivating four-goal first half at the Allianz Arena, the contest’s fifth arrived just two minutes after the restart when Musiala showcased quick feet to cut back and pick out Muller for a tap-in.
Now cruising, Bayern added three more goals in the space of 10 minutes as Kane turned provider with a searching ball that teed up Musiala to cap off his excellent performance with a neat far-post finish. Another excellent pass from Goretzka then carved Mainz open, allowing substitute Serge Gnabry to produce an incredible volleyed backheel on his return from injury.
The relentless home side added a seventh when Zentner’s save fell to Kane, who nodded in his 30th league goal to become the first player to score four hat-tricks in their debut Bundesliga campaign.
In stoppage time, Goretzka rounded off the scoring to double his personal tally, heading in at the back post to complete Mainz’s humiliation.
Their 15-year stay in the German top-flight looks very precarious, having now tasted victory just once in their last 15 encounters to leave them nine points away from certain safety with a game extra played.
As for Bayern, Thomas Tuchel may be departing at the end of the campaign, yet a commanding win here offers his side hope that a 12th consecutive Bundesliga title is not yet out of reach, even if they are now without a clean sheet in seven consecutive league games.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
