Harry Kane struck twice as Bayern Munich rallied from a goal down to claim a commanding 4-1 win over Cologne in the German Cup second round on Wednesday, stretching their flawless start to the season to 14 victories in as many games across all competitions.
The streak marks a historic milestone, with Bayern setting a new record for the longest winning start to a season by any club from Europe’s top five leagues — surpassing AC Milan’s 13-game run from the 1992/93 campaign.
“In the first half, Cologne believed and fought hard. They won key duels and looked dangerous from set pieces,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said after the match. “In the second half, we were much stronger.”
The Belgian tactician dismissed concerns about potential fatigue, noting Bayern’s depth and rotation options. “As a player, I went through two seasons at Manchester City with 198 points combined. We marched through those seasons — and we’ll do the same here. Players will return from injuries, and that won’t lower our intensity.”
Cologne started brightly and deservedly took the lead in the 31st minute when Ragnar Ache headed home from a corner. But Bayern hit back just five minutes later through Luis Díaz, who pounced on a rebound — though replays suggested he may have been offside, with VAR unavailable in Cup fixtures.
Kane completed the turnaround in the 38th minute with a stunning strike — turning with his back to goal and curling a left-footed effort into the top corner.
Díaz missed a golden chance early in the second half, but Kane made no mistake 11 minutes later, heading home from a corner to seal his brace and notch his 22nd goal in just 14 games for the club.
Michael Olise rounded off the scoring in the 72nd minute, tapping in from a Díaz assist to cap off a dominant display.
Bayern now turn their focus to Saturday’s Bundesliga showdown with Bayer Leverkusen, followed by a Champions League clash away to holders Paris Saint-Germain next week.
