In the second minute of added time, Serge Gnabry penetrated the penalty area and passed to Kane. The English striker calmly controlled the ball, eluded two home defenders, and placed a right-footed shot into the near corner, securing the 4-0 victory.

This goal helped Kane reach 30 goals in 25 appearances across all competitions this season. He leads the Bundesliga scoring charts with 19 goals, well ahead of his closest competitors: Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Jonathan Burkardt (Frankfurt), and Luis Diaz (Bayern), each with 8 goals.

More significantly, the English striker reached 100 direct goal involvements in the German top flight (81 goals, 19 assists), becoming the fastest player to achieve this milestone in Bundesliga history. Kane only needed 78 matches to do so, shattering the previous record held by legend Arjen Robben, who required 119 matches to contribute to 100 goals in the league.

Harry Kane celebrates scoring the decisive goal, during Bayern's 4-0 victory over Heidenheim in Bundesliga round 15 at Voith-Arena, Heidenheim, Germany on 21/12. Photo: *FC Bayern*

Bayern faced a depleted squad, with Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, and Jamal Musiala injured, Konrad Laimer suspended, and Nicolas Jackson away with the Senegal national team for the Africa Cup of Nations. Despite this, Bayern's rotated squad still dominated the match, maintaining 80% possession and registering 12 shots with 6 on target, compared to Heidenheim's 4 shots and 0 on target.

The visitors took the lead in the 15th minute with a close-range header from Josip Stanisic. Both of his Bundesliga goals this season have come in the last two away matches, against Heidenheim and Stuttgart.

In the 32nd minute, Bayern doubled their lead with a close-range shot into an open net from Michael Olise. This marks the 23rd consecutive Bundesliga match where Bayern has scored at least two goals. In the second half, Bayern continued their dominance, scoring their third goal through a diagonal header from Luis Diaz, before Kane's placed shot sealed the victory.

Michael Olise leaps to finish into an open net. Photo: *FC Bayern*

Coach Vincent Kompany was particularly pleased with how the team overcame its personnel challenges. "There were moments when I felt like it was during the Covid-19 pandemic, where every time a doctor appeared, you worried about losing another player," he stated. "We only had 12 experienced players; the rest were young players. I am very proud of how the entire team dealt with the situation. It's not always easy to win 4-0 away from home."

Bayern has been unbeaten against German teams since March, securing 13 wins and two draws in 15 Bundesliga rounds, averaging over 3,6 goals per match. "We are building a very good foundation for next year," Kompany added. "The title race is usually decided from March, but the groundwork is being laid now. The squad will continue to be strengthened in January."

The 4-0 victory solidified Bayern's position at the top of the Bundesliga table with 41 points, putting them 9 points ahead of second-placed Dortmund. Kane and his teammates will have a two-week winter break before returning to host Wolfsburg in Bundesliga round 16 on 11/1.

Hong Duy