Borussia Dortmund began their pre-season campaign with a 3-1 victory over Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, a fourth-tier side from the Regionalliga West, while simultaneously confirming the loan signing of Japanese midfielder Takato Yamamoto.
The match saw Dortmund come from behind after conceding an early goal following a misjudged clearance from goalkeeper Alexander Meyer, but new signings and youth players combined to secure the win.
Yamamoto, who joins Dortmund’s reserve team on a one-year loan deal from Gamba Osaka, was instrumental in the victory, scoring the goal that sealed the result after a well-worked move with 16-year-old Marawan Omir Mirza.
Ecuadorian midfielder Justin Lerma also marked his debut with a goal, equalizing for Dortmund just before halftime after a shot from Mathis Albert was deflected into his path. Serhou Guirassy, who has consistently been a goal threat for Dortmund, put the side ahead in the second half.
With eleven players having featured at the recent World Cup, coach Niko Kovac fielded a team heavily populated by youth players for the first 45 minutes, including Jobe Bellingham and Fabio Silva, alongside Italian prospects Filippo Mane, Luca Reggiani and Samuele Inacio.
Brazilian Yan Couto, who is widely expected to depart the club during the current transfer window, also featured in the first half, highlighting Dortmund’s extensive international representation with players from fourteen different nations involved in the match.
Dortmund’s pre-season schedule continues with a trip to Japan, where they will face Cerezo Osaka and FC Tokyo before participating in the Emirates Cup, taking on Arsenal and AS Roma. These fixtures will serve as preparation for the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup against Bayern Munich, the traditional curtain-raiser to the German football season.
The loan move for Yamamoto provides Dortmund II with an additional midfield option as they prepare for their own campaign, while also offering the young player a valuable opportunity to develop within a renowned European setup.
