MUNICH — Any fleeting doubts regarding Harry Kane’s goalscoring potency were obliterated in ruthless fashion on Saturday night, as the England captain struck a magnificent 23-minute hat-trick to fire Bayern Munich to an emphatic 4–0 victory over VfB Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena.
Following a tense, scoreless first half in which Stuttgart’s low block frustrated Vincent Kompany’s side, Kane seized total control of the match in the 57th minute. Collecting a pass from Joshua Kimmich 30 yards from goal, Kane unleashed a vicious, dipping strike that rocketed into the bottom corner.
Just three minutes later, Kane exhibited pure poacher’s tenacity: after his initial effort was blocked, he reacted fastest to scoop the rebound over Alexander Nübel while off balance.
Kane completed his treble in the 80th minute, coolly side-footing home after João Palhinha’s deflected shot fell kindly to his feet. Kingsley Coman rounded off the scoring in the 89th minute with a curled effort.
The hat-trick was Kane’s sixth in the Bundesliga since arriving in Bavaria, taking his season tally to eight league goals and placing him level with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush in the race for the Torjägerkanone.
"To be honest, I never doubted myself or this team," Kane told reporters in Munich. "As a striker, you go through small spells where the ball doesn’t bounce your way. Today we played with incredible energy, and once the first goal went in, the space opened up."
Bayern Munich remain atop the Bundesliga table on goal difference ahead of RB Leipzig, generating prime confidence ahead of Wednesday’s titanic Champions League encounter against FC Barcelona in Catalonia.