BERLIN (AP) — Harry Kane scored again and Bayern Munich stepped closer toward its 13th Bundesliga title in 14 years after beating Union Berlin 4-0 on Saturday.
Kane scored after the break for his 31st league goal. He has seven more rounds to try and match Robert Lewandowski’s season record of 41.
Serge Gnabry scored twice and Michael Olise also grabbed a goal for Bayern, taking the team’s tally after 27 rounds to 97, on course to smash the season record of 101 goals set by Bayern in 1971-72.
“It’ll fall,” Bayern sports director Christoph Freund said of the record.
Midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović dropped out at short notice with hip problems and the Bavarian powerhouse was without three suspended players — Nicolas Jackson, Luis Díaz, Jonathan Tah — while Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies and regular goalkeeper Manuel Neuer were injured.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany had several youngsters among the substitutes.
Bayern stayed nine points clear of Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
“We’re right where we have to be and want to be,” Kompany said of the team’s form before its Champions League date with Real Madrid next month.
Dortmund keeps pace
Ramy Bensebaini scored two penalties as Dortmund came from behind to beat Hamburger SV 3-2 at home to consolidate second.
Philip Otele and Albert Sambi Lokonga scored in the first half for Hamburg, while Felix Nmecha, whose mistake led to the second goal, also missed a penalty for Dortmund before the break.
Dortmund coach Niko Kovač sent on Serhou Guirassy and Bensebaini for the second half, with Fabio Silva and Carney Chukwuemeka going on shortly afterward, and the changes had the desired effect. Bensebaini took over penalty duties and Guirassy lifted his season tally to 13 goals.
Relegation looming for Wolfsburg
Justin Njinmah scored in off the far post for Werder Bremen to beat Wolfsburg 1-0 away and boost its survival chances at the home team’s expense.
Bremen’s ultra supporters were reportedly late to the game because of a standoff with police outside the stadium.
Their team’s third win in four games lifted it to 13th — four points above the relegation zone — while Wolfsburg remained second to last after failing to win any of its last 10 games, new coach Dieter Hecking’s return notwithstanding.
Wolfsburg drew on Hecking’s debut against Hoffenheim last weekend but his team was banking on a win against Bremen to start a turnaround. Its prospects took a further blow when defender Moritz Jenz was sent off in stoppage time.
Wolfsburg was five points from safety before relegation rival St. Pauli plays Freiburg on Sunday.
No winner in 100th Rhine derby
Eric Martel scored late for Cologne to draw with Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-3 in the Rhine derby, a result that did little for either team with Cologne just outside the relegation zone and Gladbach only a point above Bremen.
Before kickoff, Cologne’s players lined up in front of their fans behind one of the goals for encouragement, facing a huge banner that said, “We’re the No. 1 on the Rhein!”
Heidenheim hope
Marvin Pieringer scored his second goal late as last-placed Heidenheim twice came from behind to draw with Bayer Leverkusen 3-3.
Heidenheim’s prospects still look bleak, 11 points from safety, but it did stop a three-game losing run and next faces Gladbach, which remains in danger.
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