Kane breaks 60-year record and Musiala dazzles in Bayern Munich’s romp

Bayern Munich’s English forward #09 Harry Kane gets through on goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between SV Darmstadt 98 and FC Bayern Munich in Darmstadt, western Germany on March 16, 2024. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

Harry Kane broke a 60-year record for most goals in a debut season while Jamal Musiala scored twice as Bayern Munich won 5-2 at Darmstadt on Saturday.

With 31 goals in 26 league games since arriving from Spurs in the summer, Kane overtook German legend Uwe Seeler, who scored 30 goals for Hamburg in 1963-64.

Musiala also had an assist in the win, which keeps Bayern’s slim hopes of defending the Bundesliga title alive, moving them seven points behind Bayer Leverkusen, who play at Freiburg on Sunday.

“We are staying in it. We worked hard to get ourselves some opportunities and we took them,” said Bayern captain Manuel Neuer, praising “difference makers like Jamal on the pitch.”

The goalkeeper was however disappointed his side had conceded two goals against last-placed Darmstadt, saying: “We all need to work on it.”

Darmstadt stunned Bayern after 28 minutes, Tim Skarke taking advantage of some sleepy defending by Eric Dier to score and give the home side hope of an incredible upset against the German champions.

Kane would however drag Bayern into the lead before half-time, assisting Musiala’s 36th-minute goal before scoring one of his own, rising high to head in a Joshua Kimmich chip in first-half stoppage time.

Musiala added another midway through the second half when he collected a Thomas Mueller throw-in and danced through the box before shooting between the goalkeeper’s legs.

As he did last week, Serge Gnabry scored moments after coming off the bench to seal the win.

Bayern’s Mathys Tel and Darmstadt’s Oscar Vilhelmsson both scored in stoppage time.