Having rounded off the first half of the season with a thumping win over Bergisch Gladbach, our U23s have two games to go before the winter break. First up is a derby clash with Rot-Weiss Essen at Stadion Rote Erde on Sunday (14:00 CET).

Our Ruhr neighbours from the Hafenstraße currently occupy third spot with 35 points – five and three points behind winter champions Verl and second-placed Rödinghausen respectively. For much of their last meeting, it looked as though Dortmund would come out on top. But having taken the lead through Joseph Boyamba, the Black & Yellows conceded twice in the closing stages and lost 2-1. Nonetheless, BVB boss Mike Tullberg is in a bullish mood ahead of their latest encounter. "We're looking forward to the match. We obviously want to win," he declared.

It is by no means an unrealistic objective. The Black & Yellows have not lost at home to Essen since 2011, and they will have very fond memories of their most recent home game in November 2018. BVB produced a sensational display that day to beat the Red & Whites 5-0 (4-0), with Shinji Kagawa scoring all five goals in a virtuoso performance. 

The lads are once again counting on your support in their final home game before Christmas. The match against RW Essen will take place at Stadion Rote Erde on Sunday (14:00 CET). The final league game of the year will then take place against Lotte, relegated from the third tier last summer, on Saturday 14 December (14:00 CET).