Welcome back, y’all! I hope y’all had a fun off-season and enjoyed time away from a screen. For now, it is time to get back to soccer. Starting in the 2021-22 season, Borussia Dortmund will have a women’s team! And due to that, the “Baby Bee Update” will now be the “Hive Update”.

On that note: remember to save the bees! If you see a bumblebee or honeybee sleeping on a flower, let them wake up slowly. If they’re busy pollinating, let them be. If you see one struggling, offer some sugar water. Nature will thank you.

So, what have our beloved youth teams been up to?

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Borussia Dortmund U17 and U19

B-Junioren Budesliga West, NRW-Ligapokal B-Junioren

A-Junioren Budesliga West, NRW-Ligapokal A-Junioren, DFB Junioren Pokal

The U17 and U19 Bundesliga West seasons won’t start until September 11^th. Since the seasons are starting a month later than usual, a new tournament was created for both the U17 and U19 teams: NRW Ligapokal. Each team will play at least three friendlies, with the winner of each of the four groups moving on to the semifinal and perhaps final.

This tournament starts at the beginning of August. The U17 semifinals will be held at the end of August with the final the first weekend in September. The U19 semifinals will be at the start of September with the final on November 20^th.

Photo by Rene Nijhuis/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Borussia Dortmund II (U23)

Regionalliga West

BVB II will be playing in the 3. Liga for the first season since 2014-15. And with that change, comes a roster overhaul. The following players have either left or joined the U23s prior to the 2021-22 season. In parentheses is their new, or rather, previous team.

Out: Alaa Bakir (MSV Duisburg); Taylan Duman (1. FC Nürnberg); Aday Ercan (SV Rödinghausen); Philipp Harlaß (TSV Aubstadt); Patrick Osterhage (VfL Bochum); Dominik Wanner (1. FSV Mainz 05 II); Henri Weigelt (TSV Steinbach Haiger); Malte Wengerowski (Blau-Weiß Lohne); Krystian Woźniak (FC 08 Homburg)

In: Maik Amedick (U19); Kamal Bafounta (U19); Timo Bornemann (Fortuna Düsseldorf); Leon Klußmann (U19); Antonios Papadopoulos (Hallescher FC); Marco Pašalić (VfB Stuttgart); Immanuel Pherai (from loan at PEC Zwolle); Ole Pohlmann (VFL Wolfsburg); Ted Tattermusch (SV Meppen); Berkan Taz (SC Verl); Albin Thaqi (U19)

The 3. Liga kicked off this past weekend. The U23s were away at FSV Zwickau on July 24^th. After going down 1-0 early (3 minutes in), BVB II was able to pull out to a 2-1 lead. The returning loanee Immanuel Pherai evened the score in the 12^th minute off his own rebound following an assist from Richmond Tachie. Tobias Raschl scored the second goal in the 59^th minute, again off his own rebound. Shortly after followed Enrico Maaßen’s first substitution: Ted Tattermusch for Timo Bornemann (61’).

Niklas Dams received a red card in the 76^th minute for a Notbremse, or last-man foul. Luckily, Zwickau didn’t receive a penalty kick, but rather a free kick from 17 meters out. Enrico Maaßen made three defensive subs in response: Max Hippe for Richmond Tachie, Ole Pohlmann for Marco Pašalić, and Cebrails Makreckis for Berkan Taz (78’).

The final sub made was Kamal Bafounta-Ortega for Immanuel Pherai (83’). Kamal Bafounta-Ortega and Kolbeinn Birgir Finnsson received yellow cards (90’). There were about 10 minutes of extra time played at the end of the second half, but Luca Unbehaun stood tall and made some epic saves.

Leon Klußmann (GK), Haymenn Bah-Traore, and Maik Amedick sat on the bench for this game. Luca Unbehaun was named as the goalkeeper to the 3. Liga Team of the Week.

Borussia Dortmund Frauen

Frauen Kreisliga

The women’s team is FINALLY starting this year. The roster is set and training camp commenced on July 26^th, with friendlies on August 8^th vs 1860 München, August 15^th at Eintracht Solingen, August 18^th at VfL Kamen, and August 22^nd vs SVW Ahnatal. The first official matchday could be on August 29^th.

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Looking Ahead

Borussia Dortmund U17

The NRW-Ligapokal B-Junioren matches for BVB are as follows: August 8^th vs SV Lippstadt 08; August 14^th vs Rot-Weiss Essen; August 21^st vs 1. FC Köln.

Their first B-Junioren Bundesliga West match will be on September 11^th away at DSC Arminia Bielefeld.

Borussia Dortmund U19

The NRW-Ligapokal A-Junioren matches for BVB are as follows: August 7^th vs SC Preußen Münster, August 15^th vs TSV Alemannia Aachen, and August 22^nd vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

Their first A-Junioren Bundesliga West match will be on September 11^th away at Rot-Weiß Oberhausen.

The U19 also compete in the DFB Junioren Pokal. The first round is on August 28^th at Viktoria 1889 Berlin.

Borussia Dortmund II

The next 3. Liga game is on July 31^st at Rote Erde against Waldhof Mannheim. Mannheim finished in 8^th place last season with 52 points in 38 games and a -5 goal differential. They lost their first game 2-0 against 1. FC Magdeburg. After one matchday, they are in last place. BVB II are in fourth place, but this early in, the standings don’t mean much.

Borussia Dortmund Frauen

The first game this team will ever play will be a friendly against fellow newly founded TSV 1860 München Frauen. The game will be held on August 8^th at Stadion Rote Erde. Not too shabby of a location for your premiere!

Stats from kicker.de and fussball.de