Bayern Munich moved nine points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with a 4-0 win away to Heidenheim on Saturday, taking another confident step towards the title.
The visitors broke the deadlock in the 13th minute when Harry Kane collected Michael Olise's through ball, turned sharply and unleashed a shot from outside the area that left goalkeeper Kevin Muller helpless.
Bayern doubled their lead just six minutes later. Serge Gnabry's incisive pass split the Heidenheim defense and Konrad Laimer slotted home. Bayern's aggressive pressing and clinical finishing proved too much for the hosts, who rarely threatened Jonas Urbig's goal.
Kingsley Coman extended the lead in the 36th minute. After Muller had initially denied Raphael Guerreiro, the ball fell to Coman, who made no mistake from a tight angle.
Joshua Kimmich sealed the victory in the 56th minute. After a neat move involving Aleksandar Pavlovic and Guerreiro, the Bayern captain curled a low shot into the bottom corner.
Heidenheim's best chance came in the 65th minute when Sirlord Conteh broke free, but Urbig was on his toes to keep a clean sheet, his first in the Bundesliga.
"We needed this win," said Kimmich after the game. "It was an important win, a big step towards the title. We are now nine points clear. Leverkusen will have to respond."
With four rounds to play, Bayern remains firmly in the driver's seat, while Heidenheim's relegation battle continues.
Elsewhere on Saturday, fourth-placed Leipzig missed out on a chance to consolidate their direct qualification for the UEFA Champions League after a 1-1 draw with bottom club Holstein Kiel. Lucas Holer's brace helped Freiburg to a second successive win with a 3-2 victory over Hoffenheim. Wolfsburg held Mainz to a late 2-2 draw, and Werder Bremen made it four wins in a row with a 1-0 win over relegation-threatened Bochum. The 4-4 draw between Union Berlin and Stuttgart set a new Bundesliga record for goals scored in the first half.
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