Another Kane hat trick as Bayern beats Hoffenheim for Bundesliga record start

Audio By Carbonatix

BERLIN (AP) — That man again.

Harry Kane scored his second hat trick of the season on Saturday to steer Bayern Munich to a 4-1 win at Hoffenheim for the best Bundesliga start any team has made after four rounds.

The England captain scored before the break and converted two penalties after it to take his club tally to 12 goals in six games across all competitions — 13 goals in seven games including the German Supercup.

Kane's other hat trick was in the Bundesliga-opening 6-0 rout of Leipzig.

Bayern's record of 12 points with a goal difference of 15-plus is the best after four rounds of the Bundesliga since it started in 1963.

Bayern was fortunate Hoffenheim did not capitalize on its early dominance after coach Vincent Kompany opted to rotate his squad with five changes from the team that defeated Chelsea 3-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday — Kane scored twice in that game.

Among them, Nicolas Jackson made his first start since his switch from Chelsea, and the 17-year-old Lennart Karl made his first Bundesliga start for Bayern.

Hoffenheim’s Fisnik Asllani only struck the post after getting a gift from Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer, who kicked the ball straight to the Hoffenheim forward after a back pass from Jonathan Tah.

Hoffenheim remained the better side until Karl caught its defense by surprise with a corner that Kane ran to meet at the near post to fire Bayern ahead in the 44th.

“It's important when the first half isn't perfect that we show a reaction. We did that,” Kompany said. “We immediately started the second half better.”

Kane made it 2-0 with a penalty awarded after Albian Hajdari was penalized for hand ball, then completed his hat trick from the spot again after substitute Michael Olise was fouled in the area.

Vladimir Coufal scored Hoffenheim’s consolation late with a free kick that took a deflection from substitute Joshua Kimmich.

Bayern substitute Serge Gnabry completed the scoring from a narrow angle in stoppage time.

The only concern for Bayern was an apparent calf injury that forced South Korea defender Kim Min-jae off in the second half.

“We don't have a diagnosis yet. We simply have to wait,” Bayern board member for sport Max Eberl said.

Bayern was already without injured defenders Josip Stanišić, Raphaël Guerreiro, Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito. Star player Jamal Musiala was also out, likely to the end of the year, after breaking his leg at the Club World Cup.

Hamburger SV held on at home to enjoy its first victory in the Bundesliga since 2018 with a 2-1 result over Heidenheim.

Hamburg spent the last seven seasons in the second division. Goals from Luka Vušković and Rayan Philippe propelled the team to its first league win since promotion.

Second division champion Cologne lost for the first time since April by 3-1 at Leipzig.

Freiburg defeated Werder Bremen 3-0 away. Victor Boniface again started on the bench for Bremen.

Mainz romped to a 4-1 win at Augsburg despite Dominik Kohr’s sending off in the 53rd when the team was 2-0 up.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer