Roster
Coach Felix Hirschnagl was once again able to bolster his starting lineup with U23 players Fadi Zarqelain, Tim Degener, and Aaron Held, as well as young pro Luca Reggiani in the first half, who made way for Georgios Zisopoulos after halftime. Defender Jan-Luca Riedl, who had made his comeback in the 6-2 win against RW Oberhausen after a lengthy injury layoff, returned to the team. Otherwise, BVB stuck with the same lineup that had been successful a week earlier against Bodø/Glimt.
Match Summary
Under ideal weather conditions (22 degrees), the hosts at Alinja Stadium relied on a compact defensive block following two decisive losses (0–5 at Manchester United, 0–3 against Slavia Prague). BVB played dominantly and with control, but initially struggled in the final third to break down the Azerbaijanis’ solid defensive wall or pose a serious threat to the talented goalkeeper Yarahmadov. Shots on goal by Luca Reggiani, Tim Degener, Justin Hoy, and Luke Fahrenhorst all missed the target. In addition, the hosts kept Borussia’s striker Bjarki Gardarsson on a tight leash.
BVB had plenty of possession, picked up the pace after halftime, and pushed Sabah deep into their own half. However, their finishing still lacked precision and determination. Bad luck also played a role. In the 60th minute, for example, Gardarsson hit the post. Dortmund increased the pressure minute by minute, even from the back line with the strong Jan-Luca Riedl. The defender saved his team in the 74th minute with the long-overdue goal to make it 1-0, after Georgios Zisopoulos had also hit the post earlier.
The hosts’ resistance was thus broken. BVB attacked even more vigorously and were rewarded for their bold approach. First, Justin Hoy missed a penalty kick after being fouled in the penalty area (82nd minute); finally, substitute Ahmad Najdi sealed the victory with the 2–0 goal in the 88th minute.
Quote
Felix Hirschnagl: “It was the tough away game we expected against a defensively minded opponent. From the very first minute, we tried to build a lot of pressure and had plenty of opportunities to cross into the box. We didn’t really manage to do that in the first half. Otherwise, we would have taken the lead sooner. After the break, we stepped it up significantly and improved our play. We were incredibly good at counter-pressing today. In the end, the lads fully deserved the 2-0 win.”
Outlook
Our focus now shifts to the top match in the DFB Youth League this coming Sunday at FC Schalke 04 (11 a.m.). BVB, currently leading the table with 17 points, travels to face the Gelsenkirchen-based team, which is currently in fourth place with nine points.
The next home game in the UEFA Youth League will take place on Wednesday, November 4, against Real Betis (4 p.m. at the Youth Training Center).