The Borussia Dortmund women's footballers continued their triumphant charge through the Bezirksliga. Thomas Sulewski's charges had a difficult time of it in their 3-0 victory against Rot Weiß Unna on Matchday 11 but edged closer to becoming winter champions thanks to goals from Mandy Reinhardt and Mia Macarena Bedarf (two).

With a six-point lead and a goal difference that is +20 better than any other club, Borussia Dortmund are all-but certain of becoming winter champions with two matches to go in the first half-season. They picked up their 10th victory in 10 matches against fifth-placed Unna. But the game remained open for long spells.

Coach Thomas Sulewski made five changes compared to the team that won 10-0 against Senden, with Allegra Gerres, Virginia Glänzer, Luisa Bergmann, Ana Louisa Zabell and Mia Macarena Bedarf all returning to the line-up. Hanna Hentrich, Nora Rechenbach, Kimberly Becker and Lea Rogge-Herper dropped to the bench, while Marie Grothe missed out with a COVID infection.

It was the opponents who made the first forays forward on the pitch. Unna lined up with a compact defence and repeatedly looked to make a mark by launching quick counter-attacks. The lively Linda Tümmler proved a real handful for the Black & Yellows. Her cross in the sixth minute could not pick out a team-mate, and Melissa Tümmler's shot flew narrowly over the crossbar (13). 

The first and only good attack by BVB brought about the opening goal. Mia Macarena Bedarf played Mandy Reinhardt clean through on goal in a central position on the edge of the box and the striker seized the opportunity (23). It was Reinhardt's ninth goal of the season, and the third time she has opened the scoring in the last three games. "Mandy makes outstanding runs, is clinical in front of goal and is consistently 100% committed to the team," lauded provider Bedarf.

The Black & Yellows failed to put the game to bed early on in the second half, with both Vanessa Kuhl (65) and Mandy Reinhardt (67) latching on to crosses only to be denied by the outstanding antics of Rot-Weiß goalkeeper Michelle Gros. In the end, two set-piece situations wrapped up the victory: Kuhl crossed the ball low from a centre-right position to the edge of the six-yard box, where Bedarf controlled it and fired home for 2-0 (79); then, five minutes later, it was Bedarf who steered a cross from substitute Kimberly Becker over the goal-line. With what? "My right ear," said the goalscorer, who was involved in all three goals and was singled out for special praise by Reinhardt. "Mia is becoming increasingly important for us. She has an incredible footballing brain, recognises runs and then plays the ball into space intuitively." 

BVB coach Sulewski was also full of praise for the visitors after the final whistle. "Huge respect to Rot Weiss Unna. We had a real football match on our hands for 90 minutes against a tactically well-prepared opponent that really challenged us for long spells."

The BVB women are next in action next weekend when they travel away to SV Herbern on Saturday 12 November (15:00 CET). Another victory would confirm Borussia as winter champions in Bezirksliga Pool 4.

BVB: Schröer – Gerres (Hentrich, 72), Jung, Glänzer, Klemann – Bergmann (Becker, 57) – Lau (Billig, 72), Zabell, Bedarf, Kuhl (Rogge-Herper, 82) – Reinhardt (Kaul, 86)

Goals: 1-0 Reinhardt (23), 2-0 Bedarf (79), 3-0 Bedarf (84)

Attendance: 410

(df)