Shanghai Shenhua vs Manchester United: Shinji Kagawa's Goal Is First of Many

Shinji Kagawa is an instant hit.

Manchester United defeated Shanghai Shenhua on Wednesday by the score of 1-0. The newly-acquired Japanese midfielder scored the match’s only goal in the Red Devils win. It’s sure to be the first of many that he generates for the football club.

Tom Bradley of Goal.com reported that after Man Utd signed Kagawa, Sir Alex Ferguson was quoted saying: "'I am delighted he has chosen to come to United. I believe he will make an impact upon the team very quickly as he is suited to United's style of play.'"

What a prophet.

Kagawa couldn’t have made a much quicker impact.

Ferguson’s original assumption that the 23-year-old would mesh easily was only confirmed in training. The manager raved to the team’s official website about Kagawa’s ability to learn on the fly despite a language barrier. He said:

"

"The thing that's impressed me is that every exercise we do on the training ground, he's never needed it to be explained. After one demonstration he joins in, as if he's known the language forever. We know he doesn't speak the language, but it isn't a problem. It just goes to show that a good footballer can pick up exactly what's needed. He's been fantastic in that respect."

"

As the world saw Wednesday, Kagawa is midfielder that’s a duel threat passing and scoring. In 31 appearances for Borussia Dortmund in Bundesliga action last season, he scored 13 goals and registered eight assists.

According to WhoScored.com, Kagawa averaged 1.8 key passes a game. His long passing in particular was especially impressive. He boasted 1.9 accurate long balls per match, which should do wonders for Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez’s scoring efforts.

The combination of Kagawa’s top-notch playmaking skill set and his superb intelligence for a player his age will make him a force at Old Trafford.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels