Borussia Dortmund U19 squad developments

Borussia Dortmund’s U19 team opened their DFB-Nachwuchsliga season with a 4-2 victory over RW Oberhausen. The match was highlighted by Icelandic player Bjarki Gardarsson, who scored a hat-trick within the first 17 minutes, while Marwan Mirza added a fourth goal before halftime. Following the win, coach Felix Hirschnagl noted the need to improve defensive stability for the full 90 minutes.

To bolster the roster, the club signed 17-year-old winger Amine Lettifi from French club US Lesquin. NLZ Sports Director Thomas Broich noted that Lettifi was scouted from the French provinces and praised his determination. Additionally, 16-year-old Croatian defender Liam Kante has received significant praise following a derby against Schalke 04. Coach Hirschnagl used an octopus metaphor to describe Kante’s defensive capabilities, citing his 1.90-meter stature and ability to recover balls despite his reach.

In their next major fixture, Dortmund faced MSV Duisburg in the DFB-Nachwuchsliga, resulting in a 1-1 draw. After a scoreless first half, MSV Duisburg took the lead in the 57th minute via a long-distance shot from Edonit Koca. Bjarki Hrafn Garðarsson secured a late equalizer for Dortmund three minutes before the end of the match, making MSV Duisburg the first team this season to take a point from the squad.