If ever there was any doubt that Harry Kane could take the Bundesliga by storm, it was blown away weeks ago, and on Saturday, he made one heck of a statement as he scored a hat-trick in his first ever Klassiker.
FC Bayern destroyed Borussia Dortmund in front of a bewildered Yellow Wall, and the crowd of 81,365 witnessed the coronation of a new ruler in the German top flight. The 4-0 victory cemented the Bavarians in second place in the Bundesliga table, and they moved five points above Die Schwarzgelben, who started the day hoping they could leapfrog their rivals. The latest Bundesliga 2023 betting odds now rate Bayern as hot favourites to retain their title at a price of 1.35.
It took just four minutes for Bayern to take the lead as Dayot Upamecano headed home unmarked from a Leroy Sane corner, and just five minutes later, Kane doubled the lead. Sane again was the provider, as he left the Dortmund defence standing to set up the easiest of tap-ins for the England skipper.
Dortmund huffed and puffed, and Marco Reus tested Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer, but the hosts were vulnerable on the break, and Jamal Musiala and Sane could easily have made it three before Kane, collecting a pass from Kingsley Coman and firing home clinically, confirmed the points.
He picked up his third and Bayern’s fourth, deep into stoppage time, to make it 15 goals for the season and to overtake the sensational Serhou Guirassy, who has recently picked up an injury.
League top scorer Kane has also made five assists and has scored more goals in his first ten games than anyone in German top flight history; and he has made enough Bundesliga 2023 highlights already to last a season.
The ex-Spurs man is on target for 50 in the campaign and Bayern have found the perfect replacement for their legendary hit man Robert Lewandowski.
All hail King Harry!
Alonso’s Leverkusen are Bayern’s biggest rivals
Earlier on Saturday, Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen opened up a five-point gap at the top of the Bundesliga table when they won a five-goal thriller away to top-four chasers TSG Hoffenheim. At SBOTOP odds of 4.50, Die Werkself are second favourites, and this is a team packed with quality. Alonso has put together a well-balanced first eleven, with game-changers on the bench if needed.
The experienced pair of Jonas Hoffman and Granit Xhaka are dominant in midfield, while Leverkusen’s front line can be devastating. And it was the brilliant youngster Florian Wirtz who increased his stock ever higher with a brilliant opener on eight minutes, starting and finishing a flowing move as he converted a cross from top scorer Victor Boniface.
Hoffenheim keeper Oliver Baumann had to be at his sharpest to stop Boniface from doubling the lead, but there was nothing he could do when man-of-the-match Alex Grimaldo smashed his shot into the top corner after Hoffman cut the ball back into the Spaniard’s path.
Anton Stach halved the deficit early in the second half, taking advantage of a mix-up in the Leverkusen defence as keeper Lukas Hradecky misplaced a pass at the Hoffenheim midfielder’s feet, and he returned the ball into Bayer’s net. And when Wout Weghorst pounced two minutes later to convert a rebound when Max Beier’s shot hit the post, the hosts were level.
The Dutch striker should have put Hoffenheim ahead on the hour, but he headed over with the goal at his mercy, and Grimaldo made him pay with another spectacular finish into the top left corner after good work from Boniface.
The win made it ten victories on the bounce for Alonso’s side, since they drew 2-2 away to FC Bayern in September and they have the look of real title contenders.
Six of the worst for Union Berlin
Champions League debutants Union Berlin are having a nightmare this season after they had their best campaign ever to finish fourth last term. Three months into the 2023–24 campaign, Die Eisernen are languishing in 16th place, and, on current form, Urs Fischer’s side have a relegation battle on their hands.
A 3-0 home defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt made it six league losses on the bounce, and after Bochum beat Darmstadt on Friday night, Union Berlin were left in the precarious play-off spot on six points and only one above bottom club Koln.
Die Eisernen showed anything but an iron will as they folded at home to the Eagles when Omar Marmoush split the hosts defence to score twice in the opening quarter of an hour. Nacho Ferri made it 3-0 late in the game with the Eagles fourth shot of the game, but for all Berlin’s efforts, the game was up almost before it had begun.
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