Borussia Dortmund has in recent years been steadily climbing the ranks of women’s football, with the project launched in the 2021/22 season aiming firmly at the Bundesliga. In the first round of the DFB-Pokal, however, the newcomer to women’s football faced a special challenge – a clash with the mighty Bayern Munich. The match at Stadion Rote Erde ended in a 2–0 victory for the reigning champions, yet the BVB side left a surprisingly strong impression against the favorites and walked off the pitch to applause from more than 15,000 spectators. From the opening whistle Bayern dictated the pace and took control, especially through the dynamic runs of Klara Bühl down the left flank. Dortmund, who compete in the Regionalliga West on the third tier of the pyramid, defended with great commitment. The back line, marshaled by the excellent goalkeeper Lisan van der Laan, repelled Bayern’s attacks for long stretches and prevented an early decision in the match. The breakthrough came in the 27th minute. After two saves from van der Laan, who denied shots from Alara and Caruso, the ball fell to Pernille Harder. The Danish striker, not one to waste such chances, calmly opened the scoring. Just minutes later Harder struck again – after a pass from Giulia Gwinn she surged forward and fired in a sharp-angled effort to double the lead. At halftime Bayern led 2–0, and the margin could have been greater – Padilla-Bidas hit the post and Alara went narrowly wide. After the break José Barcala’s side controlled proceedings, lowering the tempo and making numerous changes. This allowed Dortmund to venture forward with more courage, and in the 59th and 73rd minutes the hosts came close to pulling one back. Ultimately the scoreline remained unchanged, with Bayern, despite shifting down a gear in the second half, seeing out the win safely. The Dortmund supporters, however, valued above all the determination and bravery of their players, rewarding them with applause after the final whistle. Bayern delivered exactly what was expected – progression to the round of 16 while conserving energy for bigger tasks ahead. Borussia, despite the defeat, gained something equally valuable – the experience of competing against a European powerhouse and proof that the club’s women’s football project is moving in the right direction. The draw for the round of 16 of the DFB-Pokal Frauen will take place on Sunday, conducted by DFB sporting director Rudi Völler, with matches scheduled for mid-November.
