Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich - Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany - November 4, 2023 Bayern Munich's Harry Kane celebrates after the match REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay
DORTMUND, Germany (Reuters) -Harry Kane marked his first appearance in Der Klassiker in stunning fashion with a hat-trick to take his Bundesliga goal total to 15 in 10 games as Bayern Munich thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-0 away on Saturday.
The England striker slotted in from close range after nine minutes after Dayot Upamecano had headed a fast-starting Bayern in front five minutes earlier, both goals created by Leroy Sane.
Stunned Dortmund improved after the break but record signing Kane grabbed his second goal to seal the points in the 72nd minute, again from close range.
Kane then put the icing on the cake by completing his third hat-trick of the season in stoppage time after racing clear and finishing coolly.
He is the first player to score 15 goals in his first 10 Bundesliga appearances and now tops this season's scoring charts, one ahead of Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy.
Victory left champions Bayern on 26 points, two points behind leaders Bayern Leverkusen who had earlier beaten Hoffenheim 3-2 away, helped by a brace from Alex Grimaldo.
Dortmund's first league defeat of the season ended a run of 25 home matches unbeaten and left them fourth on 21 points.
After stumbling on the final day of last season to hand Bayern an 11th straight title, Dortmund were itching to make a statement against their rivals and the fabled Yellow Wall was in full voice before kickoff.
Bayern were humiliated by third-tier club Saarbruecken in the German Cup in midweek and, despite Kane's goals, have not been firing on all cylinders, though they remain unbeaten in the league.
But they produced their best display of the season to outclass Dortmund, seizing control from the first whistle.
Upamecano escaped his marker to thump a close-range header into the net from Sane's delivery.
Sane was unstoppable early on and linked brilliantly down the left before sliding a low cross for Kane to tap home.
Kane also hit the post as Bayern dominated although Donyell Malen wasted a great opportunity to pull back a goal in first-half stoppage time, curling his shot over the bar.
Dortmund regained some control in the second half without really offering much threat.
Kane scored his second goal from Kingsley Coman's pass and there was only going to be one outcome when he was played through by Aleksandar Pavlovic's pass to finish past Gregor Kobel.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Clare Fallon)
