Kagawa was unlucky not to find the net as Dortmund beat Mainz 4-2 Friday.

Kagawa played 78 minutes of the game against Mainz and went close several times to getting his first goal since Sept. 13. The Japanese international had a shot saved in the third minute, went very close to scoring with a long-range drive at the end of the first half, and also fired wide in the second half. It was a high-energy performance from the midfielder, who surely will start finding the net with a bit of luck.

Kagawa got an assist in a fine performance Saturday as Dortmund defeated Freiburg 3-0.

The Japanese international has been a bit off the boil lately with some ineffective displays but returned to form at Freiburg. The midfielder was part of some excellent link-up play throughout the game and set-up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on 72 minutes following a flowing team move. Kagawa covered more distance than any Dortmund player in what was a tireless and dynamic showing.

Kagawa missed the decisive spot-kick Friday as Japan went out 5-4 on penalties to UAE in the Asian Cup quarter-finals.

Holders Japan took UAE to penalties after finding a late equalizer in normal time through Gazu Shibasaki on 81 minutes. However when the game went to sudden death penalties, Kagawa missed and UAE's Ismail Ahmed converted to send the underdogs through. The good news for Dortmund fans is that Kagawa will now fly back to Germany and be available for training prior to the Bundesliga recommencing.

Kagawa scored his side's second goal as Japan comfortably beat Jordan 2-0 Tuesday to top Group D in the Asian Cup.

Kagawa made it one goal and two assists in three games as the Asian Cup holders progressed through their group as winners. Kagawa pounced on Yoshinori Muto's assist in the 82nd minute to complete the game's scoring and could also have had an assist to his name had Takashi Inui's effort not be ruled out for offside in the 10th minute.

Kagawa made two assists as Japan beat Palestine 4-0 Monday in Group D of the Asian Cup.

Kagawa's shot was headed in by Shinji Okazaki for Japan's second goal and then Kagawa won the penalty for the third as his side made light work of their opponents. Japan will also face Jordan and Iraq in Group D as they bid to defend their Asian Cup title.

Kagawa came on as a 46th minute substitute and was guilty of a couple of glaring misses as Dortmund fell to a 2-1 defeat Saturday at Werder Bremen.

Kagawa was brought on for the struggling Sebastian Kehl after half-time to give Dortmund more fire power but missed some of his team's biggest opportunities. He directed a close-range header well wide shortly after coming on and then shot carelessly off target when he was found in space with the score at 2-1. Kagawa is still yet to hit the heights of his pre-Manchester United days, looking far rustier than the player that transferred to England in 2012.

Kagawa played 74 minutes Sunday as Dortmund fell to the bottom of the Bundesliga with defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Kagawa showed sparks of creativity at times but is still some way off his best form. Although his footwork was neat, he failed to produce any shots or crosses and so Jurgen Klopp opted to replace him with Milos Jojic on 74 minutes following a largely ineffective performance.