More history for Kane as Bayern keeps pace with Leverkusen
Harry Kane headed his 24th Bundesliga goal of the season as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1 at Allianz Arena and stay two points behind leader Bayer Leverkusen.
Monchengladbach, which had held Leverkusen 0-0 a week earlier, grabbed the lead through Nico Elvedi’s 35th-minute finish before Aleksandar Pavlovic equalised just prior to the interval.
Kane then nodded home in the 70th minute as he became the fastest player to reach 24 Bundesliga goals, doing so in 20 games to surpass Erling Haaland’s mark of 25 games, and equalled Luca Toni for most goals in a maiden season with the club.
Matthijs de Ligt added a late header of his own as the two-point gap was retained between second-placed Bayern and Leverkusen, which won 2-0 at bottom side Darmstadt, ahead of the top two meeting at BayArena next weekend.
Leroy Sane was to the fore as Thomas Tuchel’s side looked to make an early breakthrough, cracking one shot against the bar and sending another wide.
Monchengladbach made an ambitious attempt in the 27th minute with Florian Neuhaus’ shot from the halfway line being caught by Manuel Neuer, before the goalkeeper’s opposite number Moritz Nicolas did well to tip a Kane free-kick over the bar.
Four minutes later the visitors were ahead as Neuer’s ball to Thomas Muller was intercepted by Elvedi, who played a one-two with Jordan and side-footed into the bottom corner of the net.
Bayern hit back in the final minute of normal time before the break when Pavlovic fired past Nicolas having been teed up by Muller, the 19-year-old midfielder registering his second Bayern goal a week on from his first in the 3-2 win at Augsburg.
Jamal Musiala found Nicolas’ side-netting early in the second half and Kane subsequently had a shot saved.
The England captain then made it 2-1 when Leon Goretzka delivered the ball into the box, Nicolas got a glove to the ball under pressure from Muller but could only send it bouncing to Kane and he headed in.
De Ligt extended the advantage in the 86th minute, meeting Sane’s free-kick with a powerful header beyond Nicolas.
There was almost a fourth for Bayern on 89 minutes via another header, substitute Mathys Tel seeing his effort saved.
