Darmstadt 98 2-5 Bayern Munich: Kane scores record breaking goal as Bayern defeat hosts to keep pace with league leaders
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane scored a league-record 31st goal on Saturday, and Jamal Musiala added two more in the champions' 5-2 victory over hosts Darmstadt 98, bringing them within seven points of Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
Kane put Bayern, who face Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals next month, ahead 2-1 in first-half stoppage time, giving him 31 league goals, more than any other player in their first Bundesliga season.
It is also a personal league best for the England captain, the Bundesliga's most expensive signing at 100 million euros, who scored between Musiala's two goals.
However, he was taken off injured in the 81st minute after sliding into the post, becoming entangled in the sidenetting, and twisting his ankle.
"He stumbled and fell in the net and twisted his ankle," Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said. "He is cooling it now with ice. There is no diagnosis yet. We have to wait and see and hope it is just a scary moment."
England, preparing for Euro 2024 in Germany in June, will face Brazil on March 23 and Belgium three days later.
"Overall we are happy with a deserved win. We kept creating chances and we deserved the goals we scored," Tuchel said.
"It has been a good week and we have a very good atmosphere and are training well. We are happy to continue our run after our wins over Lazio (in the Champions League) and Mainz 05 (last week)," said the coach who will leave at the end of the season after a poor run at the start of the year.
The win moves Bayern up to 60 points in second place, with Leverkusen (67) traveling to Freiburg on Sunday. VfB Stuttgart are third on 56 points after a 3-0 win away to Hoffenheim.
The visitors had the advantage from the start, but it was Darmstadt who scored first, with Tim Skarke finishing a quick break that caught Bayern off guard in the 28th minute.
They didn't have to wait long for an equaliser, as teenager Aleksandar Pavlovic, fresh from being called up to the Germany squad for friendly matches later in March, dribbled past three players, charged into the box, and found Kane, who passed to Musiala to finish the move in the 36th minute.
Kane then completed their comeback in stoppage time with a diving header, but Bayern almost gave up another goal when Darmstadt's Oscar Vilhelmsson hit the crossbar on the stroke of halftime.
Musiala, in fine form, put the game away in the 64th minute with a stunning solo run for his 10th league goal, but they were far from finished.
Substitute Serge Gnabry and Mathys Tel scored before Vilhelmsson added another goal for Darmstadt, who also hit the woodwork late in the game.
SportsLigue