Borussia Dortmund's Youngsters Shine in London: BVB Defeats Fulham 4-1

Daniel Rios took a bold squad to London. No big names, no safety net – just a group built largely from Borussia Dortmund’s U23s, sprinkled with a handful of promising U19s and a core of young pros who already know what senior football feels like.

Luke Fahrenhorst and Jan-Luca Riedl stepped up from the U19s, while Mathis Albert, Kaua Prates, Luca Reggiani and Justin Lerma added a touch of professional experience. On paper, it looked like a developmental exercise. On the pitch, it quickly became a statement.

Early shock, rapid response

The tone was set almost immediately. After just four minutes, the Black & Yellows carved out their first chance, swarming towards Fulham’s goal with intent. It felt like an early breakthrough was coming.

It did – but at the wrong end.

From Fulham’s first real foray forward, a corner swung into the near post found striker Jose Sani. His header beat Silas Ostrzinski in the fifth minute and suddenly BVB were chasing the game.

That early punch did not rattle Rios’s side for long. The visitors grew into possession, pushed the hosts back and began to dictate the tempo. Fulham dropped deep, sat in, and tried to clog the middle. Dortmund, for a spell, struggled to slice through the compact block and their build-up lacked the final, incisive touch.

Then the pressure told.

Albert and Zarqelain flip the script

The equaliser came with a touch of class. In the 25th minute, Mathis Albert picked his head up and threaded a superb long pass in behind. Fadi Zarqelain timed his run, took his chance and buried it. Deserved parity, and the feeling that the game had tilted.

Barely three minutes later, it turned completely.

Albert, already pulling strings, turned predator. A sloppy pass out of the Fulham back line dropped at his feet, and from around 17 metres he stayed calm, picked his spot and slotted home. In the space of 180 seconds, Dortmund had gone from trailing to leading 2-1.

They carried that advantage, and the control that came with it, into the break. Fulham were struggling to reach dangerous areas; BVB were now running the game.

Verlaat and Lerma finish the job

The restart brought no change in pattern. Rios’s team came out hunting for a third goal, not content to sit on the lead. The reward arrived quickly.

In the 52nd minute, Takato Yamamoto whipped in a corner and Jesper Verlaat rose to meet it, powering his header over the line for 3-1. A set piece, perfectly executed, and Fulham were staring at a long second half.

The fourth was the pick of the bunch. Just five minutes later, Justin Lerma took matters into his own hands. A brilliant solo run, full of confidence and conviction, ended with the ball in the net and BVB 4-1 up. It was the kind of goal that underlines why he is already viewed as a player with senior-level pedigree.

The only sour note: Lerma had to leave the pitch injured shortly after his standout moment.

Professional finish, first points secured

From there, the holders managed the game with maturity. They continued to create, refused to drift, and kept Fulham at arm’s length. Captain Azhil went close in the 82nd minute, Degener threatened in stoppage time (90+1'), and Ngambia had a late chance of his own (90+5').

At the other end, when Fulham finally carved out another opportunity, Ostrzinski was alert and dealt with it cleanly. No late drama, no way back for the hosts.

A 4-1 win, and a performance that looked anything but experimental.

Head coach Daniel Rios summed it up succinctly: his side reacted strongly to the early setback, turned the match on its head, controlled it over the full 90 minutes and created plenty of chances. For this youthful line-up to deliver such a display away at Fulham underlines the depth and quality in Dortmund’s academy.

What comes next

The schedule now splinters across age groups. Borussia Dortmund’s U19s turn their attention to the DFB youth round, where they face Rot-Weiss Essen on 5 September at the training ground in Brackel (11:00). The U23s, meanwhile, head into Regionalliga West duty with an away trip to VfB Hilden on 29 August (14:00).

As for the Premier League International Cup, this was only the opening act. BVB’s youngsters will not return to that stage until 15 December, when Aston Villa await as their second group-stage opponents.

If this ruthless comeback in London is any indication, that December night might be another chance for Dortmund’s next generation to show just how ready they already are.