Harry Kane ended his long wait for a goal from open play since November, as Bayern Munich edged past Freiburg with a 2-1 victory, extending their unbeaten streak against the Breisgau-Brasilianer to 18 matches across all competitions.
Still reeling from their unexpected 3-0 defeat to Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League earlier in the week, Bayern needed time to settle into the game.
However, Jamal Musiala gave them a much-needed boost in the 12th minute, striking the post with a powerful effort that set the tone for their breakthrough.
Eric Dier, pushing forward from the halfway line on the right, delivered a pinpoint pass to his former Tottenham Hotspur teammate Harry Kane.
Kane, with characteristic finesse, turned past Philipp Lienhart and unleashed a low, unstoppable shot under Noah Atubolu from just outside the box to put Bayern ahead.
Despite their strong H2H record in Freiburg, where they hadn’t lost in eight visits, Bayern had only managed two clean sheets in their last 10 games there.
Still, the first half saw them dominate proceedings, with the hosts offering little beyond some flashes of promise from Ritsu Dōan.
Bayern entered halftime firmly in control, though they hadn’t peppered Atubolu’s goal with chances.
Freiburg braced for a tougher second half, bringing on Matthias Ginter, who immediately thwarted Musiala’s attempt to connect with Kane’s cross.
However, Bayern quickly capitalized from the resulting corner. Joshua Kimmich sent in a sharp delivery toward goal, and Kim Min-Jae got there ahead of Atubolu, deflecting the ball into the net to double Bayern’s lead.
Freiburg were furious with the goal but responded swiftly. From a corner of their own, Ginter rose highest to nod in Dōan’s delivery, marking the team’s first substitute goal of the season.
Looking to maintain momentum, Julian Schuster introduced Junior Adamu and Michael Gregoritsch in a bid to salvage a point.
Despite the Austrian duo’s spirited efforts, Freiburg couldn’t find an equalizer before the final whistle.
Bayern’s fifth consecutive league win, coupled with Bayer Leverkusen’s slip-up, gave the reigning champions a six-point cushion at the top.
This marks the club’s fifth-best start to a Bundesliga campaign after 19 games.
Meanwhile, Freiburg’s hopes of breaking into the top six took another hit, though upcoming matches against Bochum and Heidenheim present opportunities for a rebound.
