Kane bags hat-trick as Bayern rips Leipzig apart
Harry Kane scored a second-half hat-trick in 14 minutes and Michael Olise bagged two goals as Bayern Munich obliterated RB Leipzig 6-0 in the Bundesliga opener, putting down an early marker in the defence of its title.
The England captain, who has been the league's top scorer in the past two seasons, opened his account in the 64th minute before bagging two more goals in the 74th and 78th to complete Bayern's rout.
The Bavarian side had the visitors on the backfoot from the start and struck twice in five minutes to put the game to bed quickly.
On both occasions Bayern outplayed Leipzig with a quick passing combination at the edge of the box.
Olise drilled in from a tight angle in the 27th minute and new signing Luis Diaz notched his first league goal on his Bundesliga debut with a powerful shot off the crossbar in the 32nd.
With Leipzig dazed and confused, Serge Gnabry thought he had scored a third goal for the hosts in the 40th minute, but his shot was deflected on to the crossbar.
Two minutes later, however, he delivered a well-timed assist for France international Olise to slot in his second goal of the evening.
Kane then picked up the baton in the second half, getting on the scoresheet in the 64th minute after early work from Diaz.
He then threaded a low shot past two defenders to make it 5-0 before completing his hat-trick a little later.
Antonio Nusa thought he had reduced the deficit after sending a brilliant effort past Manuel Neuer from a tight angle at 4-0, but the goal was chalked off after Castello Lukeba's free-kick that led to the goal was ruled to have not been taken properly.
Bayern took full advantage of that reprieve, with Kane adding two more to complete his 13-minute hat-trick.
Bayern boss Vincent Kompany had said earlier this week he wanted to elevate his side still further from the one that reclaimed the title last season, and on this evidence, that demand has been met by his players.
"We wanted to send a statement from the first game at home and that's what we did today," Kane said after the match.
"We performed at a very high level and were efficient. We won 6-0 so we can't complain. After half-time we were 3-0 up, I said to myself that I need to get on the scoresheet."
Bayern next takes on third division Wehen Wiesbaden in the German Cup first round next Thursday (AEST) before travelling to Augsburg in a week's time for the Bundesliga's second matchday.
