Bayern Munich crush Darmstadt 8-0 with Kane hat-trick in record-breaking game

Bayern Munich delivered a stunning performance to thrash Darmstadt 8-0 on Saturday, with Harry Kane scoring a sensational goal from his own half and completing a hat-trick. The game also saw a record three red cards in the first half, as well as the return of Manuel Neuer from a long injury layoff.

The hosts, who had Joshua Kimmich sent off after just four minutes, were held scoreless until the 52nd minute, when Kane headed in a cross from Leroy Sane. The England captain then doubled his tally with a spectacular strike from inside his own half, catching Darmstadt goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen off his line.

Kane was not done yet, as he added his third goal in the 88th minute, taking his tally to 12 goals in nine Bundesliga games since joining Bayern from Tottenham in the summer. He also set up one of Jamal Musiala’s two goals, while Sane and Thomas Muller also scored twice each.

The visitors, who had Klaus Gjasula and Matej Maglica dismissed in the first half, were helpless against Bayern’s onslaught and suffered their heaviest defeat in history. They remain in 14th place, just two points above the relegation zone.

Bayern, meanwhile, moved to the top of the table with 23 points, one ahead of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, who play on Sunday. They also extended their unbeaten run to 15 games in all competitions and will face Borussia Dortmund next weekend in a top-of-the-table clash.

The game also marked the comeback of Neuer, who had been sidelined since December 2022 with a broken leg he sustained while skiing. The Germany goalkeeper had little to do, as he kept his 200th clean sheet for Bayern in his 350th appearance for the club.

The match was overshadowed by the unprecedented number of red cards in the first half, which made Bundesliga history. Kimmich was shown a straight red for denying Marvin Mehlem a clear goal-scoring opportunity, while Gjasula and Maglica were both sent off for fouling Konrad Laimer and Kane, respectively, outside the box.

The referee initially awarded Bayern a penalty for Gjasula’s challenge but changed his decision after consulting the VAR and gave him a red card instead. Maglica also received his marching orders after a VAR review, leaving Darmstadt with nine men for the rest of the game.

Bayern took full advantage of their numerical superiority and put on a show for their fans at the Allianz Arena. Kane was the star of the show, as he scored his second Bundesliga hat-trick and became the first player to score more than 10 goals in his first nine games in the German top flight.

The former Spurs striker was also impressed with his vision and passing, as he assisted Musiala’s first goal with a clever flick and linked up well with his teammates. He received a standing ovation from the crowd when he was substituted into stoppage time.

Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel praised Kane’s performance and said he was happy with his team’s display. “Harry is a world-class striker, and he showed it again today. He scored an amazing goal from his own half, and he was involved in many other goals. He is a great addition to our team, and we are lucky to have him,” he said.

“I am very satisfied with our performance. We played with intensity and passion, and we scored some beautiful goals. We showed our quality and our character, and we deserved this win,” he added.

Darmstadt coach Torsten Frings admitted that his team had no chance against Bayern and said he was disappointed with the result. “We knew it would be a tough game, but we did not expect to lose by eight goals. We made some mistakes that cost us dearly, and we could not cope with Bayern’s pressure and quality,” he said.

“We have to forget this game quickly and focus on our next match. We have to learn from this defeat and improve our performance,” he added.