Shinji Kagawa becomes highest Japanese scorer in Bundesliga

Kagawa, who scored 21 league goals in his first stint at Dortmund from 2010-12 before leaving for Manchester United, now has 17 in his second after rejoining the club in 2014.
Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa, center, celebrates a goal during the German Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund in Augsburg, Germany, Saturday. | AP
Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa, center, celebrates a goal during the German Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund in Augsburg, Germany, Saturday. | AP

BERLIN: Shinji Kagawa became the highest scoring Japanese player in the Bundesliga on Saturday, showing a touch of class to give Borussia Dortmund a 2-1 win at Augsburg.

Kagawa, who scored 21 league goals in his first stint at Dortmund from 2010-12 before leaving for Manchester United, now has 17 in his second after rejoining the club in 2014.

Kagawa's 38 goals put the former Cerezo Osaka midfielder ahead of Shinji Okazaki, who scored 37 for Stuttgart and Mainz before leaving for Premier League side Leicester in 2015.

Andrey Yarmolenko got Dortmund off to a flying start by scoring with his heel in a goalmouth scramble. It was the Ukraine forward's first Bundesliga goal since his arrival from Dinamo Kiev.

But Brazilian defender Caiuby equalized shortly afterwards with a header to Philipp Max's cross.

It was only the second goal Dortmund conceded in seven games while racking up 20 at the other end.

Kagawa made it 21 with a brilliant chip over the goalkeeper midway through the half as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Yarmolenko took advantage of poor defending.

Augsburg pushed hard for an equalizer and had Dortmund pinned back in the second half.

Aubameyang missed a chance to seal it from the penalty spot. Marwin Hitz caught the ball easily from his attempted "Panenka" chip down the middle.

Dortmund leads with 19 points after seven rounds.

FRANKFURT'S LATE HERO

Sebastien Haller scored with a spectacular bicycle kick in the fourth minute of injury time for 10-man Eintracht Frankfurt to beat Stuttgart 2-1.

Ante Rebic got the home side off the mark in the first half, but Stuttgart's fortune seemed to change when Simon Terodde came on after an hour. He scored his first Bundesliga goal seconds later, and Simon Falette was sent off for bringing him down as the last defender shortly after.

Haller sealed it with his fine strike.

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