Gio Reyna Scores in Dortmund's Season Opener in DFB Pokal

Giovanni Reyna has high hopes for himself in the 2020-2021 season, and he's off to a good start. 

The 17-year-old U.S. international started Dortmund's DFB Pokal (German Cup) first-round match vs. Duisburg and was credited with his side's fourth goal in a lopsided 5-0 romp against a 10-man, third-tier foe.

Reyna, who also scored against Duisburg in a preseason friendly, ripped a 23-yard free kick in the 50th minute that found the back of the net. It took a very advantageous redirect off teammate Axel Witsel's hip on the way in, but the goal belongs to the American, his second in a Dortmund shirt. He was subbed off seven minutes later, with manager Lucien Favre perhaps taking into account that Dortmund's Bundesliga-opening match is set for Saturday vs. Borussia Monchengladbach.

If Reyna has his way, the goal will be the first of many for him this season and beyond. After joining Dortmund's first team last winter, he made 18 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal–a spectacular one in the DFB Pokal in defeat to Werder Bremen. He scored four goals in preseason friendlies and appears poised for a more prominent role in Dortmund's attack along with Erling Haaland, Jadon Sancho, new signing Jude Bellingham and captain Marco Reus.

“Now, I’m ready,” Reyna recently told Sports Illustrated's Brian Straus. “Even towards the end of the year, I wasn't fully like out of my shell. But this season, coming back, I think a lot will change. Against Leipzig [in last season's penultimate game], I think you can see a little bit of it—that I was ready to play. I think now this season, I want to make a really big jump.”