Harry Kane struck twice as Bayern Munich made European football history with a 4-1 victory over Cologne in the German Cup second round on Wednesday, setting a new record of 14 consecutive wins to start a season.
Kane’s first goal—a stunning curling effort on the turn—levelled the game after Cologne’s Ragnar Ache had opened the scoring, marking the first time Bayern had fallen behind this season. The England captain later added a header in the second half, taking his tally to 22 goals in just 14 matches.
Wingers Luis Diaz and Michael Olise also found the net as the 20-time German Cup champions extended their remarkable unbeaten run, surpassing the 13-game winning start set by Fabio Capello’s AC Milan in the 1992–93 season—previously the best in Europe’s top five leagues.
The in-form Kane has now registered six braces and two hat-tricks during Bayern’s record-breaking start, failing to score in only two games this season.
Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen left it late to edge Paderborn 4-2 after extra time. Teenager Ibrahim Maza scored beyond the 120-minute mark to spare Leverkusen’s blushes, while Aleix Garcia sealed the win as the second-tier hosts chased a dramatic equaliser.
Alejandro Grimaldo’s trademark free-kick was earlier cancelled out by Stefano Marino’s late goal for Paderborn, who also led briefly in extra time through Sven Michel before Jarell Quansah equalised for Leverkusen.
Defending champions Stuttgart also advanced with a 2-0 win at Mainz, courtesy of goals from Luca Jaquez and Atakan Karazor. Meanwhile, Darmstadt thrashed Schalke 4-0 in a second-tier clash, leaving former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius enduring another difficult night.
Other teams through to the round of 16 include Freiburg, Magdeburg, and Kaiserslautern, joining Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Hertha Berlin, St. Pauli, Hamburg, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Holstein Kiel, and Bochum.
What You Should Know
Harry Kane’s blistering form continues to redefine Bayern Munich’s season, with his 22 goals in 14 games marking one of the most prolific starts in European football history.
The win not only cements Bayern’s dominance in Germany but also etches their name in continental record books.
