U19s bow out after mighty tussle with Bayern Munich | OneFootball

BVB showed remarkable team spirit in the top match. The team overcame an early 3-0 deficit, fought back with two goals, had the opportunity to equalise and only conceded the fatal goal for 4-2 after a counterattack in the final phase. This match also marked the end of Mike Tullberg's involvement with the U19s. The Dane will take over as head coach of the U23s for the new season.

Mike Tullberg had described Bayern as having "outstanding individual quality" in the run-up to the game. And Borussia were made to feel the exceptional calibre of the talented Munich youngster right from the start, exacerbated by the fact Tullberg initially had to make do without the injured Tyler Meiser in a defence already decimated by the absence of Jonas Feddersen and Luca Reggiani. The 15-year-old Jan Luca Riedl replaced the U18 international and defended on the left flank.

Bayern capitalised on the problems caused by Dortmund's disorganised defence to get off to a lightning start and seize an early 3-0 lead. Felipe Chavez netted the first, finishing off a quick counter-attack with a powerful left-footed shot after BVB had lost possession in midfield (10). Lennart Karl, who has already been called up to the first-team squad several times, punished the BVB defence for the freedom he had been given with goal number two in the 18th minute. Robin Lisewski was powerless, as was the case with the third goal scored by Felipe Chavez, which was the result of an individual error (30).

Samuele Inacio misses chance to make it 3-3

However, the shaken Black & Yellows mustered up the courage for a remarkable fightback. After the first half-chances and a contentious penalty area situation involving Samuele Inacio that was not recognised by the referee (16), Ousmane Diallo won the ball through counter-pressing and Inacio applied the finishing touches to an impressive move (31).

Mike Tullberg obviously found the right words during the half-time break. He also brought on Tyler Meiser for Nico Adamczyk. BVB played more courageously, more confidently, much more actively and aggressively, were better organised in defence and clearly had their sights set on completing their comeback. Nick Cherny then scored in the 48th minute to make it 3-2 after a remarkable solo run by Mathis Albert. Tim Degener missed the ball by centimetres from 18 metres out (58) and Albert headed just wide of the left post after a cross from Valon Cena, who had come on for William Rashidi (64).

After Jonah Kusi-Asare was shown a yellow card for an alleged foul (76), the Black & Yellows - now with striker Pharell Kegni on for midfielder Tim Degener - put all their eggs in one basket. Samuele Inacio missed a huge chance to equalise in the 81st minute and Bayern countered with ice-cold precision as Dortmund pressed. Top talent Lennart Karl won the ball in midfield and drove forward. Borussia gave him too much time to shoot and he punished them to make it 4-2.

The resistance of the youngest team in the U19 youth league was thus broken, but the youngsters bowed out of the final round with their heads held high. (wiwi)

Mike Tullberg: "That was a top-level youth game from the two youngest U19 teams in Germany. We started with two U16 and two U17 players today, but Luca Riedl, Mussa Kaba, Samuele Inacio and Mathis Albert in particular did an outstanding job. I'm proud that we kept going and played with courage after an unfortunate opening phase and conceding stupid goals. After the yellow card, I was sure that we would turn the game around. But Bayern have brutal quality in attack. They scored four goals from outside the penalty area, we had all of our chances in the six-yard box but either failed to connect or shot straight at the goalkeeper. In a game like that, you have to take those chances. That was the big difference between the two teams. Nevertheless, I congratulated the boys on a great season. We put out the youngest team in Germany, improved again in the last few weeks and have come a long way."