HEIDENHEIM, Germany (AP) — Harry Kane scored his 30th club goal of the season as Bayern Munich shrugged off an injury and illness crisis to sweep past Heidenheim 4-0 on Sunday and go into the Bundesliga’s winter break with a nine-point lead.
Kane beat two defenders and hit a powerful shot in off the post for a stoppage-time goal which took him to 30 in 25 games in all competitions for Bayern this season, 19 of them in the German league.
“We know there’s a long way from now until the end of the season but we’re doing all the right things,” Kane told broadcaster DAZN. “The belief is there, the team spirit is there, and that’s what we need to continue into the new year.”
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany named a bench packed with youth players after his squad was diminished by injuries to several players including captain Manuel Neuer and Joshua Kimmich, a suspension for Konrad Laimer, Nicolas Jackson’s absence at the Africa Cup of Nations and an illness affecting three players.
The starters made sure the game was under control long before any substitutes were needed.
Two defenders combined for Bayern’s opening goal as Jonathan Tah headed a corner on for Josip Stanisic to nod in.
Heidenheim’s fans called staying in the top division “our Christmas wish” in a giant banner shown before kickoff but their team didn’t register a shot on target and goes into the winter break in 17th place in the 18-team Bundesliga.
Bayern’s second goal was an extreme example of the defensive errors which have cost Heidenheim this year. Defender Patrick Mainka collided with his goalkeeper and the ball bounced around the box until Michael Olise finally jabbed it into the net.
Luis Díaz made sure of the win with a header off Stanisic’s cross in the 86th before Kane made it 4-0.
Bayern hasn’t lost to German opposition since March and has 13 wins and two draws from 15 Bundesliga games this season, averaging more than 3.6 goals per league game.
Borussia Dortmund is second, nine points off Kompany’s team, with Bayer Leverkusen and Leipzig both three points further back.
Also Sunday, new Mainz coach Urs Fischer stayed unbeaten in four games in all competitions with a 0-0 draw with St. Pauli for his last-placed team. St. Pauli is 16th.
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