Bayern Munich 8-1 Mainz (Mar 9, 2024) Game Analysis ESPN

Harry Kane scored a hat trick in Bayern Munich's 8-1 demolition of Mainz on Saturday to set a Bundesliga record as the champions cut the gap on leaders Bayer Leverkusen to seven points.

Kane, who joined this season for a league record €100 million ($109m) from Tottenham, became the first player to score at least twice in eight different games in his first Bundesliga season.

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He also equalled Uwe Seeler's record for most goals in a debut Bundesliga campaign by lifting his tally to 30.

The England captain also netted twice in Tuesday's 3-0 win over Lazio, which took Bayern into the Champions League quarter-finals.

Bayern are on 57 points in second place in the standings ahead of Leverkusen's home game against VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday.

Kane opened his account in 13th minute, tapping in from close range with the Bavarians desperate to hang on to their slim title chances after a bad run with only one win in their last four league games.

They added another through Leon Goretzka after Kane's effort bounced off the post seven minutes later.

Mainz briefly cut the deficit with Nadiem Amiri's thundering free kick and the visitors were pushing hard for a second goal before Kane restored order in first-half stoppage time.

The hosts overran Mainz from the start of the second half and Thomas Mueller completed a quick move to make it 4-1 in the 47th.

With the Mainz defence in complete disarray the hosts kept pouring forward and Jamal Musiala threaded a shot past the keeper before substitute Serge Gnabry's audacious mid-air backheel flick made it 6-1.

Kane completed his hat trick from close range, nodding in on the rebound at the far post and Goretzka's header in stoppage time competed the rout.