The Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund U23 teams drew 2-2 (1-1) at Grenzlandstadion in an evenly-matched encounter on Saturday afternoon. Luca Kilian put BVB in front midway through the first period, but they then fell behind and only levelled through Gianluca Rizzo with four minutes left on the clock. However, the Black & Yellows had more chances in the second period and could have arguably won the match.

The pre-match scenario:

The Borussia Dortmund U23s, who occupied fifth place in the table prior to kick-off, went into their penultimate game of the season full of momentum, having won their last three matches. Their opponents, fourth-placed Borussia Mönchengladbach, were four points ahead of them in the table.

Personnel matters:

Jan-Pascal Reckert started between the sticks in place of Eric Oelschlägel, who was included in the first-team squad to face Fortuna Düsseldorf. In addition, Dominik Wanner and Philipp Hanke replaced Tim Sechelmann and Mory Konate. Having injured his foot in the clash with Verl, Denzeil Boadu started this one on the bench.

The first half:

The first opportunity of the match fell to Gladbach on the 20-minute mark, with Herzog striking a free-kick that was saved by Jan-Pascal Reckert. But it was BVB who took the lead three minutes later, with Luca Kilian rising highest to head home a corner taken by Taylan Duman. It was the defender's fourth goal of the season and Duman's seventh assist of the current campaign. The lead would not last for long, however, with Mönchengladbach restoring parity in the 27th minute through Torben Müsel. Towards the end of the opening period, Boyamba had an opportunity to re-establish the lead for the visitors with a left-footed shot, but Dortmund's top scorer this term was denied by the Gladbach shot-stopper and the half-time whistle sounded with the score 1-1.

The second half:

As was the case in the first half, it was the home side who carved open the first big opportunity of the second half. Reckert, however, was equal to it. BVB were the superior side in the period that followed but fell behind in the 77th minute as Gladbach made it 2-1, with the Foals' goal coming when Pazurek converted a corner-kick. But BVB kept going and scored a highly-deserved equaliser with four minutes of the match remaining, with Gianluca Rizzo the scorer. The result means that BVB are now unbeaten in four consecutive matches and cannot be ousted from fifth place.

What's next:

The U23s will welcome Alemannia Aachen to Stadion Rote Erde in their last game of the season next Saturday (14:00 CET).

BVB U23s: Reckert – Hanke, Kilian, Rente, Bockhorn – Schwermann (Boadu, 82), Bulut (Baxmann, 80), Duman (Tekiela, 86) – Boyamba, Rizzo, Wanne 

Goals: 0-1 Kilian (23), 1-1 Müsel (27), 2-1 Pazurek (77), 2-2 Rizzo (86)