BERLIN, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Harry Kane and Michael Olise fired Bayern Munich to another crucial victory in the Bundesliga title race, as the defending champion edged Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in a tense Klassiker on Saturday.
Under head coach Vincent Kompany, Bayern entered the match with a perfect record this season and once again showcased its composure under pressure. Despite losing Serge Gnabry to injury, Kompany relied on new signing Nicolas Jackson in attack alongside Kane and Olise, a move that paid off as Bayern maintained its dominance on the summit of the table.
Bayern took control from the first whistle, pinning Dortmund deep inside its half. Joshua Kimmich tested goalkeeper Gregor Kobel early on before Olise and Luis Diaz both went close. The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute when Kimmich's corner found Kane, who rose highest to head the ball into the top corner. The English striker has now scored in seven consecutive matches.
After the break, Dortmund improved noticeably. Niko Kovac introduced Ramy Bensebaini to stabilize the defense, and Felix Nmecha and Karim Adeyemi began to threaten Bayern's goal. Dortmund's best chance came in the 65th minute, but Adeyemi slipped at the decisive moment after a misplaced Kimmich pass left him one-on-one with Manuel Neuer.
Just as Dortmund seemed to gain momentum, Bayern struck again. In the 79th minute, Kane's brilliant cross-field pass released Diaz, whose driven ball across goal caused chaos in the box. Jobe Bellingham's attempted clearance rebounded off Olise, who bundled the ball over the line to make it 2-0.
Julian Brandt's immediate response gave Dortmund late hope, but Bayern's backline held firm. The 2-1 win keeps Kompany's men unbeaten with seven victories from seven matches, boasting a remarkable +23 goal difference and extending its lead to seven points over fourth-placed Dortmund in the standings.
"Sixty minutes we played well, but in the first half we weren't clinical enough. Disappointed to concede so quickly after our second, but it's another three points in one of the biggest games of the season," said Kane.
Elsewhere, RB Leipzig's fine run continued as Christoph Baumgartner's brace sealed a 2-1 win over Hamburg, lifting them into second place. Wolfsburg's slump deepened with a 3-0 home defeat to Stuttgart, stretching its winless streak. Bayer Leverkusen achieved four wins in a row after edging Mainz 4-3 thanks to Alejandro Grimaldo's double. Cologne rescued a late 1-1 draw against Augsburg, while Heidenheim and Bremen shared a 2-2 stalemate.
The round opened on Friday with Union Berlin's deserved 3-1 victory over still winless Monchengladbach. ■
