For the sixth time after 1994, 95, 96, 97 and 98 Borussia Dortmund has won the German Championship with the A Juniors! The BVB U19 team won 5-3 (1-1) in a a top quality final in front of an impressive crowd of 14 766 spectators at TSG Hoffenheim through goals by Jonas Anweiler (2), Felix Passlack and Janni Serra (2).

Head Coach Hannes Wolf's team could have already won this final in the first half. They created more than a half dozen clear cut chances by switching play many times and playing at a frenetic pace, however they could only take advantage of one of their chances: Felix Passlack got through in the fourth minute from behind the half way line, no one could stop him and he saw Jonas Anweiler, who had joined him in attack: Passlack delivered a perfect pass to the far post, Anweiler was right there and pushed the ball over the line to make it 0-1. His ninth goal of the season.

Two minutes later Passlack was through again, even though there was a suspicion of off-side and after he passed the ball to Anweiler, the latter had the ball taken off him in quite a robust manner. It was disputable whether it was off-side or whether the referee should have pointed to the spot.

Top  quality final in front of 14 766 spectators

This exciting, top quality A Juniors final continued whereby the Black Yellows ran wild against their opponents who could not do anything to stop  them. After a miscued square ball by Hoffenheim, Passlack had a free run. He laid the ball up for himself just that little bit to far in front of himself in the penalty area so that the opposition goalie managed to get to the ball and avoid BVB taking the lead 0-2 (10.). Then Serra could not beat the TSG goalkeeper from a tight angle (24.) and Anweiler hit the side netting (30.) - and then out of nowhere Hoffenheim got the equaliser: Geiger got a shot in within the penalty area after a throw in and did not leave Reimann any chance with his shot from twelve metres into the far corner (33.)

It was an open game then for a short spell, before the Black Yellows created more and more chances towards the end of the first half, but they still did not managed to go in front despite two good chances. Lars Ricken rated the first 45 minutes as "showboat advertising for youth football". Borussia was clearly the stronger team thanks to a tactical move of their Head Coach Hannes Wolf (three at the back, with Larsen and Scuderi operating as wing backs). The result did not reflect the run of the game.

Double wammy through Passlack and Anweiler

Anyway, that was the situation for now. Because at the start of the second half, that was full of tempo, fast moves and passion, Borrusia managed to take the lead by 3-1 within 100 seconds in front of the watchful eyes of BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke, Finance Director Dr. Reinhold Lunow and 14 764 other spectators. After Serra got through in the penalty area, Anweiler could not beat the Hoffenheim goalkeeper at the first attempt, then he passed the ball on to Passlack, who scored to make it 1-2 (48.). 

Then Passlack played the ball through to Larsen, who passed the ball to Anweiler for the latter to push the ball over the line to make it 1-3 (50.). However Beck's headed goal just 60 seconds later meant that this great final was still totally open. The game went back and forth: Kobel prevented BVB from scoring their fourth goal with a brilliant save from Scuderi's shot (55.). The fourth goal then came in the 66.minute after a Passlack corner: Dietz headed the ball towards goal, Serra got the last touch: Hoffenheim only managed to get to the ball after the ball had already crossed the line.

Hoffenheim tried everything and never gave up - and then they fell prey to an ice-cold counter attack: Passlack passed to Serra and he finished off a three against one attack by scoring to make the score 5-2. This meant that Janni Serra and Jonas Anweiler both got a brace, however the "match winner" was the birthday boy Felix Passlack, who was crucially involved in four of the five goals

BVB: Reimann – Pieper, El-Bouazzati (88. Binias), Schumacher – Larsen (77. Sauerland), Dietz, Burnic, Scuderi – Passlack, Serra, Arweiler (70. Güner, 90.+1 Aydogan)

Tore: 0:1 Arweiler (4.), 1:1 Geiger (33.), 1:2 Passlack (48.), 1:3 Arweiler (50.), 2:3 Beck (51.), 2:4 Serra (66.), 2:5 Serra (83.), 3:5 Celik (89.)
Boris Rupert