Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane delivered a breathtaking performance on Saturday, coming off the bench to score a sensational hat-trick as Bayern powered past 10-man Stuttgart.
The England captain needed just 27 minutes on the pitch to register his third Bundesliga treble of the season, further cementing his remarkable goal-scoring form since joining the German champions.
Bayern took an early lead when Konrad Laimer expertly flicked a Michael Olise cross into the net, leaving Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel with no chance.
Stuttgart briefly thought they had equalised just before halftime through Nikolas Nartey, but his header was correctly ruled out for offside.
With the hosts still within reach, Bayern manager Vincent Kompany made a decisive triple substitution on the hour mark, one of them being star striker Harry Kane.
The impact was immediate. Just five minutes after coming on, Kane unleashed a superb 25-yard strike into the bottom corner to double Bayern’s advantage.
Fellow substitute Josip Stanišić soon added a third, before Bayern were awarded a penalty following a deliberate handball by Lorenz Assignon, who was shown a straight red card. Kane calmly converted from the spot for his second of the night and Bayern’s fourth.
The 32-year-old completed his hat-trick in the 87th minute, beating his marker to poke home another pinpoint cross from Olise. The treble brings Kane’s Bundesliga tally to 17 goals for the season, extending his lead in the Golden Boot race by nine goals ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Jonathan Burkardt.
With Bayern chasing domestic dominance, Kane’s explosive form continues to be a defining factor in their title pursuit.
