Fortuna Düsseldorf vs Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund took the lead in the 20th minute through 19-year-old American midfielder Mathis Albert, who curled a right-footed finish home from the edge of the box after a pass from goalkeeper Alexander Meyer — an unusual assist credited to the shot-stopper for a quick distribution that caught the Fortuna defence out.

The visitors carried that lead into half-time (0-1), though Dortmund's Luca Jan Riedl was booked in first-half stoppage time (45+1').

The second half was a different story. Dortmund made 11 substitutions at the break, replacing almost their entire outfield, while Fortuna introduced Eric Hottmann. The reshuffle disrupted Dortmund's rhythm immediately.

Fortuna equalised in the 49th minute when Fabian Schleusener turned home from close range after a scramble in the box. The goal came just four minutes after the restart, before the mass of Dortmund changes had settled.

The winner arrived in the 79th minute. Substitute Anas Slimani, who had entered the pitch in the 68th minute, finished decisively from a Lukas Eixler assist, sparking celebrations among the 23,300 in attendance.

Dortmund's wholesale half-time change — 11 substitutions in a single block — was the decisive tactical moment. The BVB side that started the second half lacked the cohesion of the opening 45, and Fortuna sensed the opportunity. They punished the disjointed visitors within four minutes of the restart through Schleusener, then built pressure that culminated in Slimani's winner.

Anas Slimani (Fortuna Düsseldorf) — Player of the Match. The forward came off the bench in the 68th minute and scored the 79th-minute winner, finishing sharply from Lukas Eixler's assist. His movement unsettled a Dortmund defence that had only just been reorganised.

Fabian Schleusener (Fortuna Düsseldorf). Scored the equaliser four minutes into the second half, capitalising on the chaos caused by Dortmund's mass changes. His goal shifted the momentum entirely.

Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund). The young American opened the scoring with a composed finish in the 20th minute, showing the technique that has made him one to watch in BVB's pre-season. Substituted at half-time as part of the planned rotation.

The scoreline — 2-1 — tells a story of two halves. Dortmund controlled the first period with Albert's goal, but the 11 half-time changes destroyed whatever structure the visitors had built. Fortuna's second-half response was clinical: two goals from the period of play. The 22 combined substitutions underscore the pre-season nature of the contest, making the second-half shape and rhythm the real differentiator.

For Fortuna Düsseldorf, this is a confidence-boosting result against a Bundesliga heavyweight in their pre-season build-up. For Borussia Dortmund, it is a first defeat of pre-season but comes with the caveat of a heavily rotated second XI. The result carries no competitive weight — both sides are preparing for the 2026-27 season proper.

A pre-season friendly played at typical intensity for late July, decided by Dortmund's mass half-time rotation and Fortuna's sharper second-half execution. Slimani's winner was the defining moment of quality from a Fortuna side that will take genuine encouragement from the result.