Harry Kane Hits Hat-Trick As Bayern Munich Thump Borussia Dortmund To Keep Pace With Leaders Leverkusen

Harry Kane scored a hat-trick as Bayern Munich thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-0 away on Saturday, closing the gap with leaders Bayer Leverkusen to two points. Bayern captain Manuel Neuer lauded his striker, telling German TV "that's his experience, he brought it with him to the Bundesliga from England and he shows us it week after week. We've got some quick guys up front and with them we really hurt Dortmund." Stung by a midweek German Cup elimination by third-division Saarbruecken, Leverkusen's 3-2 win at Hoffenheim on Saturday meant injury-hit Bayern were five points behind Xabi Alonso's side at kickoff.

The visitors however crafted the perfect response, scoring two goals in the opening nine minutes to grab a hold on the match.

France centre-back Dayot Upamecano, cleared to play just hours before the match after missing a month with a hamstring injury, headed Bayern in front four minutes in from a Leroy Sane pass.

The former Man City winger laid on Bayern's second on the counter, slipping a perfect pass across the face of goal for Kane to tap in.

Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said after the match "we had confidence because we have quality" despite the Cup defeat.

"We knew what we could do, and we had enough confidence to put a plan in place."

Unbeaten at home for more than a year, Dortmund were shellshocked by the power of the supposedly weakened visiting side.

Dortmund manager Edin Terzic made four changes early in the second-half as his side hoped to chase the game but Bayern scored next, Kane stroking in a controlled finish with 15 minutes remaining.

"The way we played during the week, it was bitter" Neuer said of the German Cup loss "but we showed what we can do today."

"Bayern were simply more aggressive in the duels