Bayern Munich won 8-0 against Darmstadt 98 on Saturday with a Harry Kane hat-trick and all the goals coming in the second half to go top of the Bundesliga, as keeper Manuel Neuer’s injury comeback was overshadowed by a record three red cards in the first half.
The host, playing with 10 men, was unstoppable after the break against nine-man Darmstadt, opening its account with Kane’s 52nd-minute diving header.
Leroy Sane struck twice, either side of a Jamal Musiala goal to kill off the game. Kane then scored again, with a stunning 60-metre looping shot from inside the Bayern half.
Mueller added another goal in the 71st and Musiala bagged his second five minutes later before Kane completed his hat-trick in the 88th with his 12th goal in nine league games.
In a topsy-turvy first half Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich and two Darmstadt players were sent off with straight red cards, the first time this has happened in the first 45 minutes of a league game.
The Bavarians are on 23 points, one ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, which is in action against Freiburg on Sunday. VfB Stuttgart dropped to third place on 21 points following its 3-2 home loss to Hoffenheim. Borussia Dortmund, fourth on 20, travels to Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.
In Munich, all eyes were on the 37-year-old Neuer, who broke his leg in a skiing accident in December 2022 following Germany’s early World Cup exit, and he received a loud welcome from the home fans as he led his team as captain out of the dugout.
The celebrations, however, turned sour in the fourth minute when Neuer passed the ball to midfielder Kimmich, who failed to control the ball and then pulled down Marwin Mehlem at the edge of the box to be sent off with a straight red card.
Even numbers were restored in the 21st when the visitors were also left with 10 men following the dismissal of Klaus Gjasula for a last-man foul on Konrad Laimer also at the edge of the box.
Neuer showed he was on track to get back to his very best when he stopped Mehlem’s effort following a quick Darmstadt break in the 36th before the visitors had another player sent off with a direct dismissal.
Matej Maglica was sent packing in the 41st after bring down Kane, who was sprinting clear, setting a league record with three sendings-off in the first half.
There was no stopping Bayern after the break as it went on the rampage, scoring eight times in 37 minutes.
Darmstadt, which had put up a fight in the first half, was reduced to a punching bag and Kane’s second goal from some 60 metres was a certain candidate for goal of the year.
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