Bayern Munich stop the rot! Hat-trick hero Luis Diaz & ice-cool Harry Kane cut down 10-man Hoffenheim as Bundesliga leaders return to winning ways
Bayern Munich
Luis Diaz struck a devastating hat-trick and Harry Kane scored twice from the penalty spot as Bayern Munich swept aside high-flying Hoffenheim in a 5-1 Bundesliga victory at the Allianz Arena. The visitors were given a challenging task when Kevin Akpoguma was sent off early on, but levelled through Andrej Kramaric, before Kane and Diaz took the game away from them for a comfortable victory in the end.
This clash between two of the Bundesliga’s top three was fast and furious from the off, as Aleksandar Pavlovic skimmed a header just wide of the post before Josip Stanisic made a crucial tackle at the other end.
One of the game’s decisive moments would come after just 17 minutes, as Akpoguma was adjudged to have pulled back Diaz in the box to deny a goal-scoring opportunity. Despite the protests of the away side, the referee and VAR stuck by the original decision of a penalty and red card. Kane duly stuck away the spot-kick and Bayern had the lead.
The ten men of Hoffenheim came back into the game against the odds, though. Ozan Kabak found himself with a free header in the box but saw it rebound off the crossbar, before Kramaric saw a snapshot saved down low by Manuel Neuer.
But the visitors would be level in the 35th minute, thanks to a moment to forget for the home goalkeeper. Attempting to play out from the back, Manuel Neuer saw his chipped pass intercepted by Fisnik Allsani and he squared for the simplest of finishes for Kramaric.
Just as it looked as though the visitors might be able to cause the most unlikely of upsets and blow open the Bundesliga title race, Kane and Diaz showed class and composure in equal measure to take back the ascendancy.
Diaz won a second penalty of the first half as Vladimir Coufal grabbed hold of the Colombian’s leg to bring him down on the by-line, and Kane emphatically powered home the spot-kick. Then, in first-half stoppage time, goalscorer turned provider as Kane led a rapid counter-attack and played in Diaz, who stepped inside to coolly slot the ball into the corner and give Hoffenheim a mountain to climb at the break.
The difference between the two sides would prove too much and Diaz grabbed his second goal of the afternoon just after the hour mark, as Michael Olise played across a perfect delivery for the Colombian to finish from close range.
Both Kane and Diaz had chances to score a hat-trick late on with the result sealed – the England striker crossed into Diaz who headed wide, before the former Liverpool winger returned the favour and Kane saw his header saved onto the crossbar. It would be Diaz who ultimately took home the match ball, with arguably the best goal of the evening as he curled into the bottom corner from the edge of the box to put the gloss on a commanding victory to bounce back from a loss and draw in their previous two league games.
It was an afternoon owned by both Kane and Diaz at the Allianz, but hat-trick hero Diaz was undoubtedly the star of the show and played a role in all five goals. The 29-year-old won both first-half penalties after showing enterprise and skill to get in behind, before taking over the goalscoring himself with a trio of perfect finishes. Scoring his first hat-trick in Bayern colours, Diaz was unstoppable from the first minute to the last and led the Bavarian giants to strengthen their grip on top spot in the Bundesliga once again, restoring their six point lead over Borussia Dortmund.
He may have counted himself unlucky to see red, but Hoffenheim defender Akpoguma undoubtedly made the afternoon that much harder for his side with his dismissal so early in proceedings. Making his first Bundesliga start of the season, the 30-year-old brought Diaz down in the box to see his marching orders and the ten men were made to pay in the end.
