And they're back! After two months out, Borussia Dortmund were finally back in action on Saturday with their first pre-season game of the summer against Ruhr outfit RW Oberhausen.
Debutants Justin Lerma and Takato Yamamoto were on target on either side of a goal from striker Serhou Guirassy as the BVB fought back an early deficit to prevail 3-1.
How the BVB lined-up
For his first XI of the pre-season, head coach Niko Kovac stuck with his usual 3-4-2-1 formation with Alexander Meyer in between the sticks. Dortmund's U19 defender Jan Luca Riedl, Filippo Mane and Luca Reggiani formed the back-three.
Yan Couto operated from a more advanced position on the right side of the midfield, with Jobe Bellingham and Justin Lerma as the central midfielders and Almugera Kabar on the left. Another youth team player Arne Wessels along with Mathis Albert played in behind the lone striker Fabio Silva.
Key moments from the clash
5' - Timur Kesim fires Oberhausen in front
A goal kick from Meyer falls right at an Oberhausen player near the halfway line, who heads it forward before a series of crisp passing ends with Luca Schlax laying it for an onrushing Kesim with a lovely through ball as the latter then made a fine finish beyond Meye for 1-0.
45' - Justin Lerma equalizes for Dortmund
After several ponderous minutes, Borussia Dortmund equalized through debutant, Justin Lerma. Mathis Albert raced down the left into acres of space and attempted to shoot, but it came off an Oberhausen player for Lerma to latch on to a loose ball and bundle it home for 1-1.
55' - Serhou Guirassy turns the screw
As expected, Kovac rung in the changes at half-time by subbing in many of those on the bench including prolific goalscorer Serhou Guirassy, who reminded the fans what they've been missing for the last two months with a confident strike inside the box after being set-up by fellow substitute Enzo Duarte.
78' - Dortmund seal it with a third
In the final quarter of the match, Die Borussen sealed the tie with a third goal with another new signing Takato Yamamoto getting on target this time. The Japanese starlet played a neat one-two near the box amid a string of red shirts before getting in behind Oberhausen's defense to make a cool finish for 3-1.
What next for BVB?
Borussia Dortmund have quietly added another friendly before the highly-anticipated Japan tour as they play away to 3. Liga side Fortuna Dusseldorf next Saturday, 25 July.
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