Staff Reporter.
Leroy Sane scored twice as Bayern Munich went six points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with victory over St Pauli on Saturday.
England captain Harry Kane opened the scoring by sweeping home from Michael Olise’s cross for his 22nd league goal of the campaign.
Elias Saad equalised for St Pauli 10 minutes later, ghosting past the Bayern defence and finishing into the bottom corner from close range.
Olise provided his second assist of the game with a sublime ball over the top, which Sane controlled before firing past St Pauli goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.
Sane produced a calm finish for his second from Kane’s low cross into the box.
St Pauli provided a late scare deep into stoppage time when Lars Ritzka struck low and hard into the bottom corner from the edge of the area, but it proved to be a mere consolation.
The result means Bayern remain on course for a record-extending 34th German title with defending champions Bayer Leverkusen in second place.
Vincent Kompany’s side suffered significant defensive setbacks during the international break, with Canada captain Alphonso Davies ruled out for the rest of the season due to a cruciate ligament injury sustained against the United States.
Centre-back Dayot Upamecano is also sidelined after sustaining a knee injury on international duty with France, as Les Blues beat Croatia to reach the semi-finals of the Nations League.
Frankfurt closing on CL qualification
Mario Götze, whose goal won the 2014 World Cup final, scored the winner for Eintracht Frankfurt to beat Stuttgart 1-0 and boost its Champions League qualification prospects.
The former Germany star’s 70th-minute goal lifted Frankfurt to third place with a five-point cushion over Borussia Mönchengladbach as it bids to finish among the top four and qualify for Europe’s top competition.
Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel got his fingertips to Hugo Larsson’s shot to push it onto the post, but it fell kindly for Götze to break the deadlock.
Stuttgart’s Ameen Al-Dakhil was sent off in the 57th for a foul on Hugo Ekitiké as the last defender. The French forward would have been through on goal.
Gladbach wins European qualification duel
Alassane Plea’s header after the break was enough for Gladbach to beat Leipzig 1-0 and move above the visiting team to fifth, two points behind Mainz, which visits Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.
Leipzig can drop to seventh, outside the European qualification places, if Freiburg gets a point against Union Berlin on Sunday.
Also on Saturday, Heidenheim boosted its survival hopes with a 1-0 win at Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim drew with Augsburg 1-1, and Werder Bremen won at bottom side Holstein Kiel 3-0.
AP contributed to this report.