{"subCategory":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"subCategory","title":"Departments","multiValue":true,"value":"Match Report","exportedType":"text/plain"},"dataLayer":{"editable-4bbcd315c8":{"dc:description":"<p>Borussia Dortmund\u2019s U23 team will have to wait a little longer for its first win of the season. In front of more than 5,300 spectators, BVB put in a convincing performance for long stretches against 1. FC Köln\u2019s U21 team, but after taking the lead through Tim Degener, they had to settle for a 1-1 (0-0) draw. Malek El Mala scored the equalizer for the visitors.<\/p>\n","xdm:linkURL":"https://www.bvb.de/de/en/news/news-overview/news.html/2026/8/7/Strong-U23-performance-against-Cologne-goes-unrewarded.html","@type":"/apps/bvbweb/components/newssliderelements/editable","dc:title":"Strong U23 performance against Cologne goes unrewarded ","repo:modifyDate":"2026-08-07T19:51:00Z"}},"displayTag":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"displayTag","title":"Display Department","multiValue":true,"value":[""],"exportedType":"text/plain"},"metadescription":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"metadescription","title":"Meta Description","multiValue":false,"exportedType":"text/plain"},"linkTarget":"_self","link":"https://www.bvb.de/de/en/news/news-overview/news.html/2026/8/7/Strong-U23-performance-against-Cologne-goes-unrewarded.html","stageImages":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"stageImages","title":"Image (Stage Image)","multiValue":true,"value":["/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/degener.jpg"],"exportedType":"text/plain"},"experience":{"multiLine":true,"dataType":"string","name":"experience","title":"Experience Fragment","multiValue":false,"exportedType":"text/plain"},"appExport":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"boolean","name":"appExport","title":"App Export (Clubplatform)","multiValue":false,"value":true,"exportedType":"boolean"},"showDate":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"calendar","name":"showDate","title":"Show Date and Time (CET)","multiValue":false,"value":"07.08.26 19:51 Z","exportedType":"calendar"},"teaserText":{"multiLine":true,"dataType":"string","name":"teaserText","html":"<p>Borussia Dortmund\u2019s U23 team will have to wait a little longer for its first win of the season. In front of more than 5,300 spectators, BVB put in a convincing performance for long stretches against 1. FC Köln\u2019s U21 team, but after taking the lead through Tim Degener, they had to settle for a 1-1 (0-0) draw. Malek El Mala scored the equalizer for the visitors.<\/p>\n","title":"Teaser Text","multiValue":false,"value":"Borussia Dortmund\u2019s U23 team will have to wait a little longer for its first win of the season. In front of more than 5,300 spectators, BVB put in a convincing performance for long stretches against 1. FC Köln\u2019s U21 team, but after taking the lead through Tim Degener, they had to settle for a 1-1 (0-0) draw. Malek El Mala scored the equalizer for the visitors.","exportedType":"text/html"},"scheduledPush":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"boolean","name":"scheduledPush","title":"Scheduled Push Notification?","multiValue":false,"value":false,"exportedType":"boolean"},"disableAdsOnNewsPage":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"boolean","name":"disableAdsOnNewsPage","title":"Disable Ads on News Page","multiValue":false,"value":false,"exportedType":"boolean"},"text":{"multiLine":true,"dataType":"string","name":"text","html":"<h2><b>Player Profiles<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>On Matchday 2, U23 coach Daniel Rios was once again without goalkeeper Silas Ostrzinski, Takato Yamamoto, and Ayman Azhil. The trio will remain with the Bundesliga team\u2019s training squad until further notice. In their place, Arne Wessels made his first appearance of the season after returning from the trip to Japan with the first-team squad. Alongside the attacking player, Elias Benkara and Connor Krempicki also made the starting lineup. The Black and Yellows\u2019 goal was once again guarded by 18-year-old Aaron Held. And the two youngsters, Luke Fahrenhorst and Fadi Zarqelain, earned Rios\u2019s trust again following their strong performance in the 1-1 draw in Bochum.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Match Summary<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The 5,336 spectators at Rote Erde Stadium\u2014including 674 visiting fans\u2014created a special atmosphere for the first home game of the new season. Against this backdrop, Dortmund played more attractively than FC in the opening stages. Luke Fahrenhorst, in particular, proved to be a key asset in central midfield, repeatedly trying to spark the offense as a target man and playmaker.<\/p>\n<p>However, it was a Cologne player who created the first dangerous opportunity\u2014albeit unintentionally. While building up play, FC goalkeeper Mikolai Marutzki played the ball straight to Tim Degener\u2019s feet, but his touch was too sloppy (10). In the ensuing play, BVB showed tenacity in one-on-one duels, won the ball back frequently, and repeatedly made an impact on offense. Seven minutes after the first chance, a murmur rippled through the stadium following a nice pass from Bennedikt Wüstenhagen, as Malik Hodroj, who had pushed forward, surprised Cologne\u2019s keeper with a shot from a tight angle. The ball, however, flew out of bounds. Another long-range attempt by Hodroj (31'), which was dangerously deflected, marked the third opportunity for the home team. This phase of the game made it clear that Rios\u2019s team still lacked the necessary decisiveness and cutting edge in the final third.<\/p>\n<p>Defensively, meanwhile, the Black and Yellows allowed hardly any dangerous shots on goal. It wasn\u2019t until just before halftime that Aaron Held had to make his first save, following a free kick by Emin Kujovic from about 18 meters out in a central position (36').<\/p>\n<p>After the break, BVB immediately took control again and pressed for the opening goal. First, Arne Wessels tried his luck with a long-range shot (46'), then Marutzki tipped a header from Elias Benkara over the crossbar with his fingertips. But then the moment finally arrived: BVB captain Jesper Verlaat headed a cross from the left flank down to Degener, who blasted the ball into the right corner with his left foot for a well-deserved 1-0 lead (59').<\/p>\n<p>After conceding the goal, Cologne suddenly looked much more determined and created their first chances. Malek El Mala, the older brother of Cologne\u2019s rising star Said El Mala, capitalized on one of them to tie the game at 1\u20131 (67'). Shortly afterward, Finn Fuchs could have put BVB back in the lead. The left back found himself alone in front of the FC goal after a neat one-two with Degener, but from a few meters out, he sent the ball just wide of the left post.<\/p>\n<p>Cheered on by the BVB fans, who vociferously supported the team throughout the match, BVB mustered all their strength once more in the closing stages but failed to create any clear-cut chances. The score thus remained 1\u20131.<\/p>\n<h2>Post-match comments for players<\/h2>\n<p><b>Daniel Rios (U23 Head Coach): <\/b>\u201cI think the team gave it their all. Of course, it\u2019s frustrating when you put in so much effort\u2014both with and without the ball\u2014and then only come away with one point. That doesn\u2019t feel great. In the first half, there were periods when we were too erratic in the final third. We did better in that regard at times in the second half. We also won the second balls there, which is something we lacked a bit in the first half. But overall, it comes down to the details. Scoring goals is the hardest thing in soccer. But we\u2019ll work on it, and I\u2019m convinced that in the future, the lads will reward themselves with three points\u2014not just one.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><b>Outlook<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>This coming Friday (14 August, live on <a href=\"https://www.leagues.football/\">LEAGUES<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16.0px; font-weight: 300;\">), the U23s will face newly promoted Bergisch Gladbach on the road. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>U23:<\/b> Held \u2013 Fuchs, Verlaat, Benkara (83\u2019 Quiala), Hodroj \u2013 Fahrenhorst, Degener, Krempicki (76\u2019 Boyamba) \u2013 Zarqelain, Wüstenhagen (69\u2019 Ngambia), Wessels (69\u2019 Mutove)<br>\n<b>Goals:<\/b> 1\u20130 Degener (59\u2019), 1\u20131 El Mala (67.)<\/p>\n<p><img data-assetref=\"U23-1-1786133352478\" src=\"/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/U23-1.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><img data-assetref=\"U23-2-1786133362873\" src=\"/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/U23-2.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><img data-assetref=\"U23-3-1786133370636\" src=\"/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/U23-3.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><img data-assetref=\"U23-4-1786133379614\" src=\"/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/U23-4.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><img data-assetref=\"U23-5-1786133389799\" src=\"/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/U23-5.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><img data-assetref=\"U23-6-1786133396681\" src=\"/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/U23-6.jpg\"><\/p>\n","title":"Text","multiValue":false,"value":"<h2><b>Player Profiles<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>On Matchday 2, U23 coach Daniel Rios was once again without goalkeeper Silas Ostrzinski, Takato Yamamoto, and Ayman Azhil. The trio will remain with the Bundesliga team\u2019s training squad until further notice. In their place, Arne Wessels made his first appearance of the season after returning from the trip to Japan with the first-team squad. Alongside the attacking player, Elias Benkara and Connor Krempicki also made the starting lineup. The Black and Yellows\u2019 goal was once again guarded by 18-year-old Aaron Held. And the two youngsters, Luke Fahrenhorst and Fadi Zarqelain, earned Rios\u2019s trust again following their strong performance in the 1-1 draw in Bochum.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Match Summary<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The 5,336 spectators at Rote Erde Stadium\u2014including 674 visiting fans\u2014created a special atmosphere for the first home game of the new season. Against this backdrop, Dortmund played more attractively than FC in the opening stages. Luke Fahrenhorst, in particular, proved to be a key asset in central midfield, repeatedly trying to spark the offense as a target man and playmaker.<\/p>\n<p>However, it was a Cologne player who created the first dangerous opportunity\u2014albeit unintentionally. While building up play, FC goalkeeper Mikolai Marutzki played the ball straight to Tim Degener\u2019s feet, but his touch was too sloppy (10). In the ensuing play, BVB showed tenacity in one-on-one duels, won the ball back frequently, and repeatedly made an impact on offense. Seven minutes after the first chance, a murmur rippled through the stadium following a nice pass from Bennedikt Wüstenhagen, as Malik Hodroj, who had pushed forward, surprised Cologne\u2019s keeper with a shot from a tight angle. The ball, however, flew out of bounds. Another long-range attempt by Hodroj (31'), which was dangerously deflected, marked the third opportunity for the home team. This phase of the game made it clear that Rios\u2019s team still lacked the necessary decisiveness and cutting edge in the final third.<\/p>\n<p>Defensively, meanwhile, the Black and Yellows allowed hardly any dangerous shots on goal. It wasn\u2019t until just before halftime that Aaron Held had to make his first save, following a free kick by Emin Kujovic from about 18 meters out in a central position (36').<\/p>\n<p>After the break, BVB immediately took control again and pressed for the opening goal. First, Arne Wessels tried his luck with a long-range shot (46'), then Marutzki tipped a header from Elias Benkara over the crossbar with his fingertips. But then the moment finally arrived: BVB captain Jesper Verlaat headed a cross from the left flank down to Degener, who blasted the ball into the right corner with his left foot for a well-deserved 1-0 lead (59').<\/p>\n<p>After conceding the goal, Cologne suddenly looked much more determined and created their first chances. Malek El Mala, the older brother of Cologne\u2019s rising star Said El Mala, capitalized on one of them to tie the game at 1\u20131 (67'). Shortly afterward, Finn Fuchs could have put BVB back in the lead. The left back found himself alone in front of the FC goal after a neat one-two with Degener, but from a few meters out, he sent the ball just wide of the left post.<\/p>\n<p>Cheered on by the BVB fans, who vociferously supported the team throughout the match, BVB mustered all their strength once more in the closing stages but failed to create any clear-cut chances. The score thus remained 1\u20131.<\/p>\n<h2>Post-match comments for players<\/h2>\n<p><b>Daniel Rios (U23 Head Coach): <\/b>\u201cI think the team gave it their all. Of course, it\u2019s frustrating when you put in so much effort\u2014both with and without the ball\u2014and then only come away with one point. That doesn\u2019t feel great. In the first half, there were periods when we were too erratic in the final third. We did better in that regard at times in the second half. We also won the second balls there, which is something we lacked a bit in the first half. But overall, it comes down to the details. Scoring goals is the hardest thing in soccer. But we\u2019ll work on it, and I\u2019m convinced that in the future, the lads will reward themselves with three points\u2014not just one.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><b>Outlook<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>This coming Friday (14 August, live on <a href=\"https://www.leagues.football/\">LEAGUES<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16.0px; font-weight: 300;\">), the U23s will face newly promoted Bergisch Gladbach on the road. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>U23:<\/b> Held \u2013 Fuchs, Verlaat, Benkara (83\u2019 Quiala), Hodroj \u2013 Fahrenhorst, Degener, Krempicki (76\u2019 Boyamba) \u2013 Zarqelain, Wüstenhagen (69\u2019 Ngambia), Wessels (69\u2019 Mutove)<br>\n<b>Goals:<\/b> 1\u20130 Degener (59\u2019), 1\u20131 El Mala (67.)<\/p>\n<p><img data-assetref=\"U23-1-1786133352478\" src=\"/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/U23-1.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><img data-assetref=\"U23-2-1786133362873\" src=\"/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/U23-2.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><img data-assetref=\"U23-3-1786133370636\" src=\"/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/U23-3.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><img data-assetref=\"U23-4-1786133379614\" src=\"/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/U23-4.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><img data-assetref=\"U23-5-1786133389799\" src=\"/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/U23-5.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><img data-assetref=\"U23-6-1786133396681\" src=\"/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2026/08/07/u23-k-ln/U23-6.jpg\"><\/p>\n","exportedType":"text/html"},"id":"editable-4bbcd315c8","prio":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"boolean","name":"prio","title":"Prio (Clubplatform)","multiValue":false,"value":false,"exportedType":"boolean"},"headline":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"headline","title":"Headline","multiValue":false,"value":"Strong U23 performance against Cologne goes unrewarded ","exportedType":"text/plain"},"displayOnHomeMainstage":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"displayOnHomeMainstage","title":"Display in Main Stage on Homepage","multiValue":false,"exportedType":"text/plain"},"author":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"author","title":"Author","multiValue":false,"exportedType":"text/plain"},"teaserType":"relatedContent","match":{"multiLine":true,"dataType":"content-fragment","name":"match","title":"Related Match","multiValue":false,"exportedType":"text/plain"},"externalId":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"externalId","title":"External ID (Clubplatform)","multiValue":false,"exportedType":"text/plain"},"displayOnHome":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"boolean","name":"displayOnHome","title":"Display in News Wall on Homepage","multiValue":false,"value":true,"exportedType":"boolean"},"url":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"url","title":"Vanity URL (LEAVE EMPTY FOR AUTOMATIC VANITY URL. 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