Bayern Munich 5-2 SV Darmstadt 98 (16 Mar, 2024) Game Analysis

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane scored a record 31st league goal and Jamal Musiala added two more in the team's 5-2 demolition of hosts Darmstadt 98 on Saturday, helping the champions to temporarily move closer to seven points behind leader Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.

Kane gave Bayern, who face Arsenal in next month's Champions League quarter-finals, a 2-1 lead in first-half stoppage time to take their league tally to 31, more than no player has scored in their first season in the Bundesliga.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (US)

It was also a personal league best for the England captain – the Bundesliga's most expensive transfer at €100 million – who scored between Musiala's two goals.

But he was withdrawn injured in the 81st after sliding into the post, getting tangled in the side netting and twisting his ankle.

“He tripped, fell into the net and twisted his ankle,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said. “He's cooling it now with ice. There's no diagnosis yet. We have to wait and see and hope it's just a scary moment.”

England, who are preparing for Euro 2024 in Germany in June, face Brazil on March 23 and Belgium three days later.

“Overall we are happy with a deserved victory. We continued to create chances and we deserved the goals we scored,” Tuchel said.

“It has been a good week, we have a very good atmosphere and we are training well. We are happy to continue our journey after our victories against Lazio. [in the Champions League] and Mainz [last week], declared the coach who will leave at the end of the season after a poor run at the start of the year.

The victory puts Bayern 60 points in second place, seven points behind Leverkusen who travel to Freiburg on Sunday.

The visitors had the upper hand early on, but it was Darmstadt who struck first, with Tim Skarke finishing off a quick break that caught Bayern off guard in the 28th minute.

They did not have to wait long to equalize after teenager Aleksandar Pavlovic, freshly selected for the Germany squad for friendlies later in March, dribbled past three players, charged into the box and found Kane, who passed to Musiala to end the match. move in the 36th minute.

Kane then completed his comeback in stoppage time with a diving header, but Bayern almost conceded another themselves when Darmstadt's Oscar Wilhelmsson hit the crossbar just before half-time.

Germany international Musiala, in superb form, ended the game in the 64th minute with a superb solo run for his 10th league goal, but it wasn't over yet.

Substitute Serge Gnabry and Mathys Tel both got on the scoresheet before Wilhelmsson scored another goal for Darmstadt, who also hit the woodwork once again late in the game.