Welcome to Fear The Wall’s weekly update on the kids. This will include updates to Borussia Dortmund’s U17, U19, and U23 teams (jk only U23 because the others’ seasons are over). If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments.

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Borussia Dortmund II (U23)

Regionalliga West

So, um, it’s been a while, eh? So much for no more English weeks this season. After the Coronazwangspause that sidelined the U23 squad for about a month from game action, they are back. And hopefully well rested, as there’s a game every three to four days to finish out the season.

Dortmund II played their first game back against SV Straelen on May 23^rd. After falling back 0-1, they eventually won 3-1. Tobias Raschl scored a penalty kick (45’⁺¹) to tie it, with Ansgar Knauff (70’) and Alaa Bakir (87’) adding tallies of their own.

Players out injured were Moritz Broschinski, Taylan Duman, Maximilian Hippe, and Lennard Maloney.

The following substitutions were made: Haymenn Bah-Traore for Richmond Tachie (68‘); Patrick Osterhage for Dominik Wanner (68‘); Alaa Bakir for Marco Hober (68’); and Aday Ercan for Tobias Raschl (86’).

Steffen Tigges received a yellow card (90’) and Patrick Osterhage played his first game since mid-January!

The full match report can be read here: bvb.de

Or the video highlights here:

But that’s not it! The U23 played their second game this week on May 26^th at SV Rödinghausen and drew 0-0. This is okay! Dortmund II hasn’t played for a full month and Rödinghausen was allowed to have fans present.

Enrico Maaßen made these subs: Haymenn Bah-Traore for Marco Hober (64‘); Patrick Osterhage for Dominik Wanner (64‘); Albin Thaqi for Henri Weigelt (64’); and Richmond Tachie for Alaa Bakir (66’).

Franz Pfanne received a yellow card.

The match report can be read here: bvb.de

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Looking Ahead

Borussia Dortmund II

Before getting to the upcoming games, two team news things:

First, Enrico Maaßen has extended his contract until June 30, 2024.

Second, Henri Weigelt will leave Dortmund II to join TSV Steinbach Haiger, a Regionalliga Südwest team, next season.

Dortmund II hosts VfB Homberg on May 29^th at the Roten Erde, as 500 fans are allowed to attend! Homberg is in 18^th place with 33 points (9W-6D-22L) and a -32 goal differential (37:69).

Dortmund II is back in second place due to missing a bunch of games and Rot-Weiss Essen winning. However, Essen has 87 points in 39 games with a +60 goal differential and Dortmund has 86 points in 37 games with a +60 goal differential. So, theoretically, only Dortmund can mess this up for themselves. It should be fine, but as the common German saying goes, “man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben”.

Anyway, the unbeaten streak still holds strong at 24 games.

Stats from kicker.de and bvb.de