17th March, 2012
Borussia Dortmund extended their unbeaten run to a Bundesliga record of 20 games with a 1-0 win over Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Shinji Kagawa scored the only goal of the game in the eighth minute, although Dortmund should have won more comfortably given the number of chances they created.
Dortmund took the lead when they broke through from a corner, with Kevin Grosskreutz lifting the ball to the far post to Ilkay Gundogan, who selflessly and intelligently lifted it back across goal for Kagawa to nod in from close range.
Werder’s reaction was a shot from 25 yards by Mehmet Ekici, but apart from that effort, it was a one-sided encounter at the Westfalenstadion.
The only surprise was that Dortmund failed to add to their opening goal in the remaining 82 minutes.
Kagawa himself could have had a hat-trick. He was denied a second by Sebastian Mielitz’s fingertips as the Werder goalkeeper pushed the Japan international’s 20-yard shot onto the post.
Kagawa then missed the best chance of the second half in the 54th minute when he pounced on a loose ball in the six-yard box, but somehow shot wide of the post when it seemed easier to hit target.
Sebastian Kehl also hit the woodwork with his header hitting the crossbar and bouncing down on, but not fully over, the goal-line, while Robert Lewandowski curled a shot wide. Kagawa had another effort deflected wide as Dortmund dominated.
Results
England
Everton 1 Sunderland 1
Fulham 0 Swansea 3
Wigan 1 West Brom 1
Nigeria Premier League
Sharks 1-0 Kaduna
Tornadoes 1-0 Enyimba
Women’s Pro League
Police Machine 1-0 Nito Queens
La Liga
Getafe 1–0 Real Sociedad Granada 2–1 Sporting Gijon
Real Zaragoza 1–1 Osasuna
Serie A
Parma 0-2 AC Milan