Kane reaches 60 Bundesliga goals as Bayern Munich thump Heidenheim

Harry Kane scored his 24th league goal of the season as Bayern Munich romped to a 4-0 win at Heidenheim on Saturday, moving the German giants ever closer to the Bundesliga title.

Kane joined Konrad Laimer, Kingsley Coman and Joshua Kimmich on the scoresheet.

The victory took Bayern nine points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, who play at St Pauli on Sunday.

"It was a very important step towards the title," Kimmich told Sky Germany.

"We're now nine points ahead -- and Leverkusen have to win. But we're not really looking at them. We have to win at least two more games to secure the title."

Stung by Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final elimination at Inter Milan, Bayern were ruthless. Kane, still seeking a first team trophy of his career, took the ball on the turn and lashed home with 12 minutes gone.

The England captain, who joined Bayern in the summer of 2023, now has 60 goals in his first 60 Bundesliga games.

Seven minutes later, Laimer latched onto a clever Serge Gnabry pass and clipped the ball past Heidenheim goalkeeper Kevin Muller.

Coman was on hand to tap in after Mueller saved a shot from Raphael Guerreiro on 36 minutes. Kimmich then cut the ball into the corner from a Guerreiro pass with 56 minutes gone, sealing the result with just his second goal in his 46th game for Bayern this season.

Bayern could clinch what would be their 34th German title as early as next week if results go their way.

Eight-goal thriller in Berlin

In Saturday's late game, Union Berlin guaranteed first-division football for next season in a 4-4 home draw against Stuttgart.

All eight goals were scored in the opening half, the first time in Bundesliga history so many goals had been scored before the break.

Union went two goals up when Andrej Ilic and Diogo Leite scored from set-pieces, but Stuttgart hit back to level at 2-2 through Deniz Undav and Enzo Millot.

Union again hit the lead thanks to a stunning long-range strike from Leopold Querfeld, before Stuttgart's Jeff Chabot and Chris Fuhrich scored two in three minutes and Ilic struck again in first-half stoppage time to level the scores.

No goals were scored after half-time, meaning the all-time German record of 12 goals in one game remained intact.

RB Leipzig's top-four hopes took a hit with a 1-1 home draw against last-placed Holstein Kiel.

Japanese striker Shuto Machino put the visitors in front a minute before half-time, with Leipzig equalising from the spot through Benjamin Sesko with 74 minutes gone when Lois Openda was felled in the box.

Openda looked to have scored with a curling, long-range effort with 13 minutes remaining, but the Belgian was flagged for offside.

Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi collided with Kiel's Steven Skrzybski midway through the second half and was stretchered from the field.

Mainz however failed to take advantage of Leipzig's struggles, drawing 2-2 at home against Wolfsburg despite leading for most of the match.

Wolfsburg veteran Maximilian Arnold gave his side the lead after just three minutes but Mainz wrestled control back with two goals in four first-half minutes through Lee Jae-sung and Dominik Kohr.

Denis Vavro headed Wolfsburg level in the final minute, denting Mainz's chance of a first-ever Champions League qualification in their history.

Freiburg also boosted their European hopes with a 3-2 win over Hoffenheim, with Lucas Hoeler scoring a brace.

Freiburg sit fifth, a point behind Leipzig and one ahead of Mainz, in sixth.

Werder Bremen beat Bochum 1-0 thanks to a goal from Mitchell Weiser, helping their own European chances while deepening their opponents' relegation woes.

Bochum, who have beaten Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund this season, sit second to last and are nine points from safety with four games remaining.