/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/L43GBGHUVVM6DLXZX3IDWXDYOM.jpg "Bayern crush Darmstadt 8-0 with Kane hat-trick amid red sea")
Soccer Football – Bundesliga – Bayern Munich vs. SV Darmstadt 98 – Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany – October 28, 2023
Bayern Munich’s Thomas Mueller celebrates scoring their sixth goal with teammate Harry Kane (Photo: REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth)
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MUNICH, Germany, Oct 28 (Reuters) – Bayern Munich dominated Darmstadt 98 with an 8-0 victory on Saturday in the Bundesliga. Harry Kane scored a hat-trick in the second half, propelling Bayern Munich to the top of the league standings. However, the game was marred by a record three red cards, overshadowing goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s comeback from injury.
Playing with 10 men, Bayern Munich were relentless in the second half against Darmstadt’s nine-man team. Kane opened the scoring with a diving header in the 52nd minute. Leroy Sane then scored twice, with a Jamal Musiala goal in between, effectively sealing the win for Bayern Munich. Kane added another goal with an impressive 60-meter looping shot from inside the Bayern half. Thomas Mueller and Musiala also contributed to the scoreline, and Kane completed his hat-trick with his 12th league goal of the season.
The first half of the match was eventful, as Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich and two Darmstadt players received straight red cards. This was the first time in Bundesliga history that three red cards were shown in the opening 45 minutes of a game.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said, “That was a crazy first half against a tough opponent. Overall, the first half had too many mistakes and we lacked intensity. After the break, the response was clear. We had one extra player, we created a lot of chances and scored a lot of goals.”
Bayern Munich now sit at the top of the Bundesliga table with 23 points, ahead of Bayer Leverkusen who will play Freiburg on Sunday. VfB Stuttgart dropped to third place with 21 points following their 3-2 home loss to Hoffenheim. RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund are in fourth place with 20 points each, and Borussia Dortmund has a chance to join Bayern at the top with a victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.
The spotlight was on goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who made his comeback after a leg injury sustained in December 2022 following Germany’s early exit from the World Cup. Neuer received a warm welcome from the home fans and led his team out as captain. However, the match didn’t start well for Bayern as Kimmich’s mistake led to him being sent off in the fourth minute. Darmstadt also had a player sent off in the 21st minute, bringing the teams back to even numbers. Neuer showcased his skill by making a crucial save, but Darmstadt’s Matej Maglica was then sent off in the 41st minute, setting a Bundesliga record with three red cards in the first half.
In the second half, Bayern Munich unleashed an unstoppable offensive, scoring eight goals in 37 minutes. Darmstadt had no answer, and Kane’s second goal, a stunning long-range effort, stood out as a contender for goal of the year.
Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; editing by Clare Fallon and Ed Osmond