The Borussia Dortmund women have won the opening game of the second half-season 3-0 (3-0) against SC Drolshagen. Mandy Reinhardt became BVB’s new record goalscorer in a game which also saw Marah Tayeh sent off in the second period.

The BVB women will spend the winter at the top of Landesliga Group 2 with an eight-point lead over Borussia Dröschede. Sulewski’s charges rounded off the 2023 calendar year with a deserved 3-0 triumph against SC Drolshagen.

In the final competitive game, the spectators at Stadion Rote Erde saw a BVB team that dominated from the start and could have taken the lead in the opening quarter of an hour. Marie Grothe fired narrowly wide of the mark and Marjana Naceva was denied by the upright (14/15). Merle Greulich then went one better and slotted home a Grothe cross that found its way through to the back post to make it 1-0 (18).

Following a corner that the Drolshagen defence failed to clear, Lisa Klemann was in the right place and slotted home to make it 2-0 (29). The third goal was scored by Mandy Reinhardt, who rounded visiting goalkeeper Alexandra Nohl and fired into an empty net (39). Reinhardt became BVB’s new record goalscorer in the process, with 52 competitive goals. “I can hardly believe it. It makes me very proud and I hope I can add to this record,” said a happy Reinhardt.

The BVB women had further good opportunities to add to the scoreline before the interval but often lacked precision with their finishing. “We were too disorganised and never really got into the game,” commented coach Thomas Sulewski.

The winter champions also failed to add a fourth goal after the break and then shot themselves in the foot. Marah Tayeh was first shown a yellow card for repeated dissent in the 61st minute and was then dismissed following a second booking a moment later. Sulewski moved Greulich back into the right-back position, sacrificing the attack-minded Naceva and bringing on Kimberly Becker for additional defensive stability. 

Despite their numerical inferiority, the Dortmund ladies continued to control the match and gave little away aside from a shot by Aileen Trottner (71). Reinhardt could have even made it 4-0 in stoppage time. “It was a good battling performance in a second half in which our opponent challenged us. I laud the attitude,” Sulewski said. 

The BVB women have now signed off for the winter break. The season will continue with the preliminary round of the Dortmund District Indoor Championship on 4 January 2024. The reigning champions will be aiming to qualify for the finals on 13 January when proceedings at get underway at Halle Nette at 17:45 CET.

BVB women: Jäger – Tayeh, Jung, Haslsteiner, Klemann – Gomulka (Lau, 78) – Greulich, Grothe, Naceva (Becker, 63), Bedarf (Kuhl, 78) – Reinhardt

Goals: 1-0 Greulich (18), 2-0 Klemann (29), 3-0 Reinhardt (39)

Red card: Tayeh (61)

(df)