MUNICH: Bundesliga top scorer Harry Kane struck once in each half to steer Bayern Munich to a 3-0 victory over fourth-placed Stuttgart to stay four points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen with a game in hand.

The England captain, the league’s all-time record signing after his €100m move from Tottenham this season, has scored 20 times in his 14 league games.

Kane is only the third player in the league’s history to reach that mark by or before the halfway stage and required also the fewest-ever Bundesliga appearances to score 20 times.

Meanwhile Bayern have netted in a league record-equalling 64th straight Bundesliga home game, matching their 1970-74 run.

Despite a string of injuries and the last-minute absences through illness of Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, Bayern bagged the three points and now have 35. Leverkusen are on 39 after a 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt earlier on Sunday.

“It was probably our best performance of the season so far,” Kane said. “We wanted to be dominant. We knew how dangerous they were and we limited them to just a few chances. It was great to score twice and help the team.”

The league takes a break after next week’s matches and will resume on Jan. 12.

In Italy . . .

Goals by forwards Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram gave Inter Milan a 2-0 win at Lazio in Serie A, extending their lead at the top of the table to four points.

Inter were gifted the opener when Lazio defender Adam Marusic gave away the ball as he tried to pass it backwards and Martinez latched on to it to dribble past keeper Ivan Provedel and score from close range in the 40th minute.

Thuram doubled the advantage for Inter after the break with a low shot inside the far post after collecting a precise pass into the box from Nicolo Barella.

Inter lead the standings on 41 points from 16 games and have extended the gap with second-placed Juventus (37), who missed the chance to go top when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Genoa on Friday. Lazio are 11th with 21 points.

In Spain . . .

Luka Modric demonstrated his enduring value to Real Madrid by providing a goal and a brilliant assist in their 4-1 home win over Villarreal in LaLiga.

The 38-year-old Croatia midfielder lifted a fine first-touch cross from the edge of the box in the 25th minute to meet Jude Bellingham who leapt to nod in a superb header just out of reach of goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.

Rodrygo extended Real’s lead with a close-range strike from a Modric corner in the 37th minute but Jose Morales pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 54th with a tidy finish after a counter-attack.

Brahim Diaz scored the third goal for the home side in the 64th minute with a fine individual effort and Modric added his goal four minutes later, striking a loose ball inside the box.

Real moved to the top of the standings with 42 points, one ahead of Girona who have a game in hand and host lowly Alaves on Monday.

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