Harry Kane scored his ninth goal in eight league matches as Bayern Munich won 3-1 at Mainz on Saturday after Bayer Leverkusen returned to the top of the table by winning at Wolfsburg.
Kane headed in from close range after Kingsley Coman had given Bayern an early lead, continuing his stunning form since leaving Tottenham in the summer.
Mainz, who had won their previous three home league matches against the perennial German champions, pulled one back just before half-time when Anthony Caci blasted home.
Early in the second half, Mainz defender Stefan Bell was centimetres away from equalising for the home side but shot wide on the counter.
Bayern, however, launched a counter of their own, Leon Goretzka slamming in from outside the box for the visitors’ third to put the game to bed.
Kane admitted Bayern “rode our luck at times” but told Sky Germany “it’s an important away win.”
“I still feel like there’s room for improvement; I’m still getting to know my teammates.”
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel praised his side’s toughness.
“(Matthijs de Ligt) is coming back from injury, Jo (Joshua Kimmich) had the flu and Leon (Goretzka) had a swollen ankle, so I’m happy about it. Awesome performance.”
Bayern, who have won the past 11 Bundesliga titles in a row, now sit two points behind Leverkusen with eight matches played.
In Wolfsburg, a second-half goal from Alex Grimaldo took Leverkusen one point clear atop the table with a 2-1 win, replacing Borussia Dortmund who had taken the top spot with a 1-0 win over Werder Bremen on Friday.
The visitors had hit the lead early, Victor Boniface holding off four defenders while chipping across to Jeremie Frimpong, who leapt acrobatically to direct a shot into the net.
Wolfsburg ‘keeper Pavao Pervan caught it and played on as Frimpong celebrated, but goal-line technology confirmed the goal was valid.
Wolfsburg were less elegant in reply, Maxence Lacroix tapping in from close range to equalise just before half-time.
Bayer coach Xabi Alonso brought creative midfielder Florian Wirtz off the bench in search of a winner with 30 minutes remaining and the 20-year-old obliged, winning possession to help set up Grimaldo’s equaliser.
“After we hit the lead, we got worse and there were too many mistakes,” Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka told Sky Germany.
“In the second half, we showed a reaction and we won deservedly.”
Unbeaten Bayer return to the top and have now won seven of their eight league fixtures.
– Stuttgart sizzle –
Surprise package Stuttgart sits one point behind Leverkusen in second after a 3-0 win at struggling Union Berlin, with red-hot striker Serhou Guirassy scoring again.
Guirassy headed Stuttgart in front with his 14th goal of the campaign in just eight games, before being substituted after half an hour with a leg injury.
Union fought hard but have not scored at home since the opening match of the season and their lack of scoring hurt them again as Silas and Deniz Undav both netted for Stuttgart in the final 10 minutes.
Union, who host reigning Serie A champions Napoli in the Champions League on Tuesday, have now lost eight matches in a row in all competitions.
RB Leipzig won 3-1 at promoted Darmstadt, with a double from Lois Openda and a goal from Emil Forsberg cancelling out Tobias Kempe’s first-half penalty.
Elsewhere, Eintracht Frankfurt overturned an early deficit to win away at Hoffenheim 3-1.
Hoffenheim’s Maximilian Beier scored after just three minutes but goals from Omar Marmoush, Ansgar Knauff and Ellyes Skhiri helped the visitors storm back before half-time.
Freiburg also came from behind on Saturday, a goal from Ritsu Doan and Vincenzo Grifo’s penalty cancelling out Goncalo Paciencia’s opener for a 2-1 home victory over Bochum.
AFP
