U23 Aims to Stay in Touch with the Leaders Against Bocholt | OneFootball

The scenario

After nine matchdays, BVB is the only team in the Regionalliga West that remains undefeated. With 19 points, the third-place team is just one point behind FC Gütersloh and three points behind league leader Rot-Weiß Oberhausen. Even though last Monday’s draw at SC Paderborn prevented the team from moving up in the standings, Coach Daniel Rios’s assessment of the season so far is positive: “We’ve improved from game to game. The lads are developing, and we’re developing as a team. That’s why we’re on the right track and very happy with our start,” the coach commented.

Because the match against Paderborn’s U21 team wasn’t played until Monday, there was once again less time than usual for preparation following several back-to-back weeks of games. That doesn’t change the objective, however. If anything, the missed victory in Paderborn has sparked even more determination in Finn Fuchs. “Our goal is clearly three points,” the defender emphasized.

Squad

Jan-Luca Riedl, who has been sidelined since the UEFA Youth League opener against Villarreal (2–3), is back in rehabilitation training but is not yet available. A decision on whether Diego Ngambia—who missed the Paderborn match and is still nursing an injury—will return to the squad will be made at the last minute. It also remains to be seen whether Fadi Zarqelain is an option. The 17-year-old will return from the DFB development camp just one day before the match against Bocholt. “We’ll talk to Fadi and ask him how he’s feeling. Then we’ll decide whether he’ll play or not,” says Rios.

Opponent

With 13 points, 1. FC Bocholt currently sits in sixth place in the standings. Since the start of the season, the team has been coached by Guerino Capretti, the former second-division coach from Dresden. The “Schwatten’s” away record is particularly noteworthy: In their four away games so far, they remain undefeated. For Rios, therefore, the visitors’ league position is only of limited significance. Despite a generally mixed start to the season, the BVB coach counts Bocholt among the co-favorites:

“We have to prepare for a strong team and not be blinded by their standing. Their current point total doesn’t reflect the team’s true potential. They have individual talent and a clear game plan. A new coach and several new players joined the team over the summer. That sometimes takes a little time. It will be a major challenge.” For Bocholt, the away game in Dortmund marks the start of a pivotal phase. After the match against third-place BVB, they’ll face Gütersloh and Oberhausen—the two current leaders of the Regionalliga West.

Shortcoming

More pace, more creativity, more chances in the opponent’s penalty area: The Dortmund U23s’ development on the field this season is unmistakable. At the same time, however, there’s a shortcoming that has already become apparent on several occasions: converting chances. Even in the 1-1 draw in Paderborn, BVB failed to capitalize on too many opportunities despite their dominance, thereby costing themselves a potential victory. Given the young roster, coach Daniel Rios points to the development process and sees no cause for concern: “As long as we’re creating this many scoring chances, we’re on the right track. But we have many young players who still have a lot to learn—it’s all about development. We need to push harder in training to ensure that our finishing is more focused.”