Luis Diaz hits a hat trick as Bayern Munich thrash 10-man Hoffenheim 5-1, restoring a six point Bundesliga lead with Kane also scoring twice.
Bayern Munich responded to recent stumbles with an emphatic 5-1 home win over Hoffenheim. Luis Diaz scored his first Bayern hat trick, while Harry Kane added two penalties. The result restored a six-point lead at the Bundesliga summit. Hoffenheim finished the game with ten men after an early red card.
The hosts began on the front foot, pressing high and moving the ball quickly. Michael Olise and Serge Gnabry combined well in the opening minutes. Hoffenheim struggled to clear their lines under sustained pressure. The breakthrough soon arrived through a decisive incident.
The match changed in the 17th minute when Kevin Akpoguma brought down Diaz in the box. The defender was shown a straight red card for denying a clear chance. Kane calmly converted the resulting penalty to give Bayern the lead.
Despite the setback, Hoffenheim responded with courage and attacking intent. They created several openings and nearly equalised through headers from close range. Their persistence paid off in the 35th minute. Andrej Kramaric finished after capitalising on a loose clearance from Manuel Neuer.
Hoffenheim’s joy was brief as Bayern regained control before half time. Diaz was fouled again in the area, this time by Vladimir Coufal. Kane converted his second penalty on the stroke of the interval.
Moments later, Bayern delivered a crushing third goal. Kane led a quick counter attack and slipped the ball into Diaz’s path. The Colombian finished calmly to make it 3-1 at the break. That goal effectively ended Hoffenheim’s resistance.
Bayern dominated possession after the interval, stretching the visitors across the pitch. Neuer redeemed his earlier error with a sharp save to deny Hoffenheim a lifeline. Any hope of a comeback faded in the 62nd minute.
Olise squared for Diaz, who tapped in his second of the night. Bayern continued to push for more goals, with Kane and Musiala both going close. Diaz completed his hat trick late on, cutting inside before placing a precise finish into the corner.
The win moved Bayern to 54 points from 21 Bundesliga games and restored a six-point cushion at the summit. They have now scored 79 league goals this season, the most ever at this stage of a Bundesliga campaign. Kane’s two penalties took him to 24 league goals, keeping him clear in the scoring charts. Diaz now has 13 goals in all competitions.
Michael Olise recorded another assist, extending his run of goal involvements in six straight league games. Bayern generated an xG total above five, reflecting their dominance after the red card. Hoffenheim saw their five-match winning league run come to an end.
The early red card proved decisive and allowed Bayern to control the tempo. Diaz was relentless in transition and clinical in front of goal. Kane combined leadership with ruthless efficiency from the spot.
Olise’s creativity consistently unsettled Hoffenheim’s back line. Bayern’s response to recent pressure was authoritative and composed. It was a statement performance at a crucial stage of the title race.
Bayern host RB Leipzig in midweek in the DFB Pokal before returning to Bundesliga action next weekend when they travel to Breme as they look to extend their lead at the top. Hoffenheim face a quick chance to respond when they host Freiburg next Saturday as they aim to protect their place in the Champions League positions.
