Borussia Dortmund's U19s are facing the prospect of a group-stage exit from the UEFA Youth League after losing 1-0 at home to Sporting Lisbon, who have now climbed into second place behind Real Madrid on six points and won the head-to-head battle with the Black and Yellows.

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Benjamin Hoffmann's charges did not find the solutions they needed at the Holzwickeder Montanhydraulik Stadium to trouble their in-form visitors.

Both teams were well-organised and cancelled each other out for long spells in a highly tactical encounter, with the Black and Yellows struggling to create chances against a Portuguese side that attacked aggressively from midfield and was on high alert at the back. Laukart, Yilma and Mangala failed to produce a constructive attacking performance, while wingers Larsen and Kopacz were kept out of the game by their markers. The first real chance came from a free-kick awarded 22 metres out for a foul on Kopacz which was thwarted by Sporting shot-stopper Pedro Silva (36).

The visitors, who were the more physically dominant and older side, demonstrated their attacking ability on the counter. Playmaker Bruno Paz pulled the strings, while nimble forward Pedro Marques posed problems to the BVB rearguard. Another source of danger was Rafael Leao, who fired the visitors into the lead against the run of play in the 41st minute. Gabriel Kyeremateng lost a tackle before Dzenic Burnic, this time featuring at centre-back, misjudged a long ball. Leao latched onto it and outmanoeuvred Amos Pieper to slot home the opener. "I cannot criticise the defenders. We were all moving forward and invited the opposition in," said an annoyed Benjamin Hoffmann.

Amenyido squanders final chance

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The BVB coach reacted at the break by bringing on Etienne Amenyido for Kyeremateng, but the hosts were still lacking tempo, precision, penetration and creativity in their play. Sporting closed down the gaps, tackled uncompromisingly and switched the play at lightning speed. A prime example came in the 78th minute when an unmarked Bruno Paz shot but was denied by Pulisic. The Dortmund custodian also proved himself twice in the closing stages against Cabral as gaps began to emerge at the back.

Borussia only carved out one chance to restore parity in the second period, Pedro Silva palming away a Larsen free-kick with a spectacular save before Amenyido put the follow-up high and wide (88). Joao Ricciuli then fouled Kopacz and was sent off for a second bookable offence.

"It goes without saying that we'll analyse the match and draw our own conclusions. Having come back in Leverkusen, we didn't have the energy to turn another game around. Nevertheless, I would like to pay the lads a huge compliment because they have really played to their limits in recent weeks," concluded Hoffmann, whose main focus remains on the domestic championship.

BVB's next match comes in the Bundesliga on Saturday, when the league leaders host Wuppertaler SV at the Brackel training ground (kick-off 11:00 CET). Then, on Tuesday 22 November, the Black and Yellows will play their final home game of the UEFA Youth League against Legia Warsaw in Holzwickede. 

BVB: Pulisic – Schulte, Pieper (Schwermann, 76), Burnic, Beste (Wanner, 65) – Kopacz, Mangala, Laukart, Yilma, Larsen – Kyeremateng (Amenyido, 46).
Wilfried Wittke