Castilla 0-1 Borussia Dortmund
The reserve side lost the Premier League International Cup final to a Dortmund team that managed to hold onto their early goal.
Cestero, driving forward during the final against Dortmund.
Castilla missed out on European glory.
German efficiency in their only first-half chance gave them the lead, which proved decisive despite numerous Castilla opportunities to equalize in a Premier League International Cup final that ultimately slipped away.
Both teams entered the match unbeaten, and the contest was evenly matched from the start. Castilla struggled early against the speed and skill of the German players, who came out attacking and aimed to settle the final in their favor from the outset. They had been warned on paper, and on the pitch at Adams Park they felt the first blow after just six minutes when Taycan scored. The goal came from a header by Enzo Duarte, allowing the striker to beat Mestre with a superb low left-footed shot.
From that point, Borussia dominated with intense high pressing. López de Lerma’s side couldn’t find spaces to build play and create chances; they needed patience and focus on defensive work. Gradually, around the half-hour mark, the white team created some opportunities near Held’s goal, through Palacios and Loren, though the finishes didn’t find the net, despite quality crosses from Manu Serrano, who stood out with his runs. Loren almost equalized but his shot hit the base of the post after taking advantage of a Dortmund defender’s slip just before halftime. Castilla went into the break feeling they deserved more on the stat sheet.
**No White Effectiveness**
The triple substitution for the reserve side at the start of the second half showed a willingness to take risks, but with caution. Castilla continued in the same vein as they had finished the first half, outpacing a Dortmund team that had exhausted their pressing energy. Time was against the white team, but chances kept falling their way. Liberto had one of the clearest in the 56th minute, firing the rebound after the goalkeeper had denied an even more dangerous situation created from Rachad’s recovery. German counterattacks caused concern, but Lamini nullified them several times with determined defensive work. However, the effort wasn’t enough to overturn the deficit, and Castilla ended as runners-up in their first appearance in the Premier League International Cup.
**Match Facts: Castilla 0-1 Borussia Dortmund**
Castilla (1-5-4-1): Mestre; David Jiménez (72′ Valdepeñas), Mario Rivas (81′ Diego Aguado), Lamini, Manu Serrano; Manuel Ángel (c), Cestero, Palacios (46′ Liberto); Yáñez (46′ Fortea), Loren Zúñiga (46′ Rachad), Bruno Iglesias.
Coach: Julián López de Lerma
Borussia Dortmund (1-4-3-3): Aaron Held; Krevsun, Filippo, Tony Reitz (c), Kabar; Enzo Duarte (65′ Justin Hoy), Ayman, Tom Faust; Fadi (78′ Arne Wessels), Taycan Macid (78′ Bennedikt), Mathis Albert.
Coach: Daniel Ríos Ramírez
Goal: 0-1 (06′) – Taycan
Referee: Oliver Mackey (Great Britain). Yellow card: Lamini (95′).
Stadium: Adams Park Stadium (High Wycombe, UK) – 4,700 spectators