SAITAMA - Andre Schurrle struck a late winner as Borussia Dortmund beat Urawa Reds 3-2 on Saturday to score their first win under new coach Peter Bosz in a preseason friendly for the Bundesliga side.
The Reds more than held their own against Dortmund and Shinzo Koroki fired the home side in front midway through the first half before two goals in the space of three second-half minutes from substitute Emre Mor put Dortmund 2-1 up.
Wataru Endo’s header in the 85th minute looked to have earned the J. League side a share of the spoils, but Schurrle ran onto a misguided header from Endo and drove in the winner at the near post with two minutes left.
Shinji Kagawa, whose contract extension with Dortmund through 2020 was announced Friday, watched from the bench as he recovers from a dislocated left shoulder sustained on duty with the national team in a friendly against Syria last month.
“It was a fantastic atmosphere and we played against great opponents,” Kagawa said. “I could not play in the game myself but I am glad we were able to win in the end.”
Dortmund, which lost 3-2 in its first preseason friendly against fourth-tier RW Essen, came agonizingly close to taking the lead in the 14th minute in hot and sticky conditions in Saitama, Spanish defender Marc Bartra drifting away from marker Ryota Moriwaki to head Gonzalo Castro’s free kick against the crossbar.
The Reds hit the woodwork themselves moments later, Yuki Muto rattling the near post before the home side took the lead when Koroki steered home Yosuke Kashiwagi’s corner from close range.
The visitors missed another golden opportunity in the 36th minute as Bartra scuffed wide and that miss nearly proved costly as Rafael Silva brought a crucial save out of Roman Weidenfeller at the other end.
Both teams continued to enjoy chances but Dortmund finally got on level terms in the 76th minute, Mor barging his way past Tomoaki Makino and stabbing the ball past Shusaku Nishikawa.
Mor then scored with a deflected effort before Schurrle rounded off the win.
Dortmund now travels to China to face AC Milan in the International Champions Cup.
Saturday’s friendly was part of the J. League’s World Challenge 2017. Reigning J. League champions Kashima Antlers play Spain’s Sevilla at home in another friendly on July 22.
LATEST SOCCER STORIES
Click to enlarge
