Wataru Endo of Stuttgart opens the scoring in their 5-1 win over Greuther Furth in the German first division in Stuttgart on Aug. 14, 2021. (Kyodo)

       COLOGNE, Germany (Kyodo) -- Japan midfielder Wataru Endo helped Stuttgart make a strong start to the Bundesliga season on Saturday, opening the scoring in a 5-1 demolition of promoted Greuther Furth.

       Endo found the net in the 30th minute at Stuttgart's Mercedes-Benz Arena, chipping over the keeper from a tight angle following a through ball from Philipp Forster.

       Defender Marc-Oliver Kempf scored a brace and Borna Sosa provided three assists for Stuttgart, who are aiming to improve on a ninth-place finish from last season.

       Elsewhere in the German top flight, Japan midfielder Genki Haraguchi made his first league appearance for new side Union Berlin, starting in a 1-1 draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen.

       Japan winger Takuma Asano started in his league debut for promoted Bochum, who marked their Bundesliga return with a 1-0 loss away to Wolfsburg.

       Eintracht Frankfurt, featuring Japanese pair Makoto Hasebe and Daichi Kamada, fell 5-2 away to Borussia Dortmund in their season opener.

       In the Belgian top flight, Japan winger Junya Ito struck his first goal of the season for Genk in a 4-0 win over visiting Leuven.

       In Spain's La Liga, Takefusa Kubo started his second loan spell with Mallorca, making their return to the top flight following a season in the second division. The 20-year-old playmaker came off the bench in the 61st minute of a 1-1 draw at home to Real Betis.

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