MUNICH: Forward Harry Kane scored once and helped set up another as champions Bayern Munich battled past Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the Bundesliga’s Klassiker on Saturday to maintain their perfect start to the season with their seventh straight win.

The Bavarians, who host Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday, had to survive considerable second-half pressure from the visitors before making sure of their 11th win in 11 matches across all competitions this season.

They lead the Bundesliga race with 21 points, five ahead of second-placed RB Leipzig. Dortmund, who suffered their first loss in 10 matches across all competitions, dropped to fourth on 14.

The win also handed Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer a new record for the most league wins with his 363rd Bundesliga match victory.

“The first half was almost perfect. We could’ve scored two or three more goals,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany told a press conference.

“In the second half compliments to Dortmund. They fought and were aggressive. But you also have to stay dangerous in the difficult moments. We did that and had chances.”

Kompany added that he was not interested in the league table.

“Everything starts from zero tomorrow and we again need to improve. That’s my only focus”.

Man-of-the-match Kane gave the hosts a deserved lead when he scored his 12th league goal in seven matches with a glancing header from a Kimmich corner in the 22nd minute. He has now scored 22 goals in 14 matches for club and country so far this season.

Dortmund, who travel to FC Copenhagen on Tuesday in the Champions League, tried to bounce back after the break but Micheal Olise, capitalising on Jobe Bellingham’s mixtake, extended the hosts’ lead in the 79th minute. The visitors pulled a goal back through Julian Brandt’s tap-in five minutes later and piled on the pressure to inject late drama into the game.

On Sunday, Eintracht Frankfurt were pegged back by a clever 87th-minute Vincenzo Grifo free-kick in a 2-2 draw at Freiburg, days out from their Champions League clash against Liverpool.

Freiburg went ahead after just two minutes thanks to Derry Scherhant but Jonathan Burkardt scored twice before halftime to put Frankfurt in control.

With the clock winding down, set piece specialist Grifo caught Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos napping, curling his free kick around the wall and in at the near post.

The Eagles have scored more goals than everyone except Bayern but have conceded the most in the Bundesliga this campaign.

In Sunday’s last match, Hoffenheim climbed to eighth with a 3-0 away win at St Pauli.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2025