Berlin, May 17 (IANS) Bayern Munich signed off from its Bundesliga campaign with another emphatic attacking display as Harry Kane hit a hat-trick in a 5-1 home win over Cologne before the newly crowned champion received the trophy on Saturday.
Leon Goretzka, making his final Bayern appearance after eight years in Munich, started alongside Joshua Kimmich, while Manuel Neuer returned in goal. Cologne, already safe after securing its survival the previous week, defended deep in the opening stages.
Kane met a cross from Lennart Karl to put Bayern ahead in the 10th minute, and struck again three minutes later from a free-kick touched off by Kimmich, reported Xinhua.
Cologne had barely threatened before Said El Mala punished a midfield mistake by Jamal Musiala, burst through the Bayern half and beat Neuer in the 18th minute.
Bayern’s response was swift. Tom Bischof drove in from distance in the 22nd minute, taking the champion beyond the 120-goal mark for the season. Luis Diaz was denied by goalkeeper Marvin Schwabe before halftime, while Musiala struck the post shortly before the break.
Cologne coach Rene Wagner brought on Linton Maina after the interval, and the visitors found more presence higher up the pitch. Karl hit the outside of the post and Musiala went close again, before Kane settled the contest in the 69th minute with a long-range finish following Goretzka’s run from deep.
Goretzka then departed to a standing ovation before replacement Nicolas Jackson scored with his first touch in the 83rd minute to round off the 5-1 win.
Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund secured second place with a 2-0 win at Werder Bremen, while Leipzig ended the season third despite a 4-1 defeat at Freiburg. Freiburg’s victory sealed it the seventh place and a UEFA Conference League berth.
Stuttgart took the final Champions League spot after a 2-2 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt, helped by Hoffenheim’s 4-0 loss at Borussia Monchengladbach. Bayer Leverkusen was held 1-1 by Hamburg and finished sixth. Wolfsburg climbed into the relegation playoff with a 3-1 win at St. Pauli, who was relegated alongside Heidenheim after the latter’s 2-0 defeat against Mainz. Union Berlin closed with a 4-0 win over Augsburg.
–IANS
hs/