Bayern Munich cruised to a 4-0 away win over Heidenheim on Sunday, extending their Bundesliga lead to nine points in Harry Kane’s first match as Bayern captain.
The victory came after Borussia Dortmund had cut the gap to six points on Friday, but Bayern dominated in the final league game before the winter break. Goals from Josip Stanisic, Michael Olise, Luis Diaz, and Kane sealed the comprehensive win.
Kane reflected on his breakthrough year, telling DAZN, “We started to build a spirit and a team energy that is hard to break, and we took that into this season. We know there’s a long way to go, but we’re doing all the right things.”
The Bavarians arrived in Heidenheim severely depleted, missing nearly a full starting XI. Key players such as Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Konrad Laimer, Nicolas Jackson, Kim Min-jae, and Aleksandar Pavlovic were unavailable due to injury, suspension, or Africa Cup of Nations duty. Only two outfield players on the bench had ever started a Bundesliga match.
Coach Vincent Kompany compared the squad’s situation to a “Covid week” but praised their performance: “I’m proud of the team because it’s not a given to come here and put in such a performance.”
With the absences, Kane was handed the captain’s armband for the first time in his 121st competitive match for Bayern.
Olise, returning from eye surgery earlier in the week, played a key role, curling a corner that allowed Stanisic to score in the 15th minute. Olise then scored himself after a setup from Hiroki Ito just after the half-hour mark.
Later in the match, Luis Diaz headed in the third goal, and Kane wrapped up the scoring in stoppage time, sidestepping two defenders before finishing low for his 30th goal of the season in all competitions.
The result leaves Heidenheim second-from-bottom in the Bundesliga, one point from safety. Coach Frank Schmidt, who previously guided the club from the fifth division to the Bundesliga and UEFA Conference League, took responsibility for the defeat: “I’m not satisfied. Not with myself, not with us, or with the coaching team… It’s my responsibility to make the team more stable.”
Elsewhere on Sunday, bottom-club Mainz and 16th-placed St Pauli played out a scoreless draw.
