The 111 All-Time Greatest Bundesliga Games

Yes indeed. UEFA annulled the result and ordered that a repeat game had to be played on neutral ground (they chose Berlin, it ended 0-0). The away game at Milan ended 4-2 for Inter.

BTW among the DVDs I sent to Eissman there is a "History of Borussia Mönchengladbach" DVD which features the goals of the 7-1 vs. Inter. Netzer's 6-1 was especially great.

 

The problem was that it involved three teams and I would have to bend the rules once more. It's not really 111 games but a couple more already. I also didn't fancy the writing job for three games in one post. But when I compiled the countdown, I thought we had some intense last-day decisions, like in 1971, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001. Not all of these games would have to be ranked among the very best from a purely technical point of view, some of them were not that exquisite, they derived their specialty from the "late decision" factor. Not even all of them very terribly thrilling. To me, the most thrilling season finales were 1971, 1978, 1986, 1991 and 2001 (and of course 1969 and 1999 in terms of relegation thrillers). The thrill factor of 1992 was more or less based on Buchwald's goal in the 86th minute (a header from a corner, maybe if he had scored with an overhead kick...). None of the clubs featured in the 1992 finale are dear to my heart so there are no personal feelings involved. I just didn't fancy the 1992 finale that much. The games weren't that special after all (1-0, 2-1, 1-2).

But I must concede this countdown is not perfect. I discovered many games from the past that would have been deserving of inclusion. And in fact I think I made a mistake by not including the 1992 finale. It should have been featured. Maybe I can add an appendix after the countdown is over: "Honorary Mentions" or "Games That Should Have Made the Countdown".

 

Indeed Inter's great era was about to end. Them reaching the 1972 final was their last hurrah, but their decline was apparent. It was the same for most Serie A teams. The whole league suffered from the import stop of foreign players since 1966. The old stars were not replaced by younger talents and thus kept on playing right into their mid-30s (Haller, Altafini, Jair...). But of course the positive effect was that young Italian talents could develop way better in this environment (see 1978 and 1982 World Cups).

Here are some of the headlines by Italian newspapers after Inter won the second game 4-2:

"Inter remained victorious in a memorable and unforgettable game" (Corriere della Sera). Corriere said that Gladbach's two goals were scored only due "to pure luck".

"Inter won with the weapons of Borussia and an outstanding Mazzola. Netzer & co. were conquerers of the sky in Mönchengladbach, but in Milan only shadows of themselves".

 

Correct Unclesox, no Cup games included.

BTW, to make up for the not featured 1992 finale, how about a profile on Wolfgang Overath?

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9854335&postcount=39

Check that thread again in a couple of days.

 

They're both from the early 1970s. One is pretty obvious. The other one is a hidden gem.

BTW it takes me a bit longer posting the Top 5 because I had not yet written the commentary for these games. I am currently writing #2. Should be ready tomorrow.

 

I'm not saying anything!

 

Rank #2



1. FC Kaiserslautern 7
Bayern Munich 4

Place: Kaiserslautern, Betzenberg
Time: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Date: 20 October 1973
Attendance: 34,000
Referee: Bonacker (Quadrath-Ichendorf)
Red Card: Gersdorff (Bayern)

Goal Scorers:
0-1 Gersdorff 3
0-2 Gersdorff 12
0-3 Müller 36
1-3 Pirrung 43
1-4 Müller 57
2-4 Toppmöller 58
3-4 Pirrung 61
4-4 Pirrung 73
5-4 Diehl 84
6-4 Laumen 87
7-4 Laumen 89



Commentary:
It’s the Betzenberg stadium in Kaiserslautern, it’s the 87th minute. Herbert Laumen has just now extended the lead to 6-4. On the sidelines, Kaiserslautern’s manager Erich Ribbeck jumps up from his folding chair jubilantly. He has tears of joy in his eyes. He had barely set down on his chair, when he bounced up again! Seconds before time, Herbert Laumen had scored the 7-4. After the final whistle, Kaiserslautern’s manager descends into the dressing room with his overjoyed players. "Unbelievable – I have never experienced anything like this yet" is all the otherwise wordy Ribbeck babbles. And indeed, it was de facto unbevelievable what had happened in the previous 90 minutes! When it comes to domestic football, it does hardly get any more legendary. Like a landslide the disaster came over Bayern Munich, their players slinking off with their tails between their legs, benumbed, unable to comprehend. How could this debacle be explained? The debacle of a team that only half a year ago won their games almost at will once they were in the lead? A team that made their opponents feel chilly with their cool way of playing?

The door to Bayern’s dressing room was hermetically sealed more than 25 minutes after the game. Not until then Bayern manager Udo Lattek faced up with an interview. With a soundless voice he asked not the journalist not to have him analyse this game. Everyone of the journalist understood this request. The all-important European Cup tie against Dynamo Dresden was only a couple of days away. 20 minutes after Lattek had faced the journalists, the Bayern players left the site of their ignominy with stone-like looks. "I have no explanation for this, I am completely baffled" was skipper Franz Beckenbauer’s comment. Johnny Hansen, shook his head: "Something like this must not happen – but yet it did happen. The first three Kaiserslautern goals were almost scored by ourselves. And after that every shot was a goal." Udo Lattek tried to solve the riddle with his analysis: "The first goal scored by Kaiserslautern after Roth’s mistake was the foundation for all that happened afterwards" and midfielder Rainer Zobel added: "Not the goal as such disorganized us, it was the way it came about." At half-time break, when Bayern were up 3-1 rather comfortably, Lattek had caught his players again with trembling knees. The 3-4 at Cologne and the not convincing, downright lucky 4-2 at home vs. Duisburg, not to speak of the embarrassing 1-3 at Atvidabergs FF in the European Cup had proved that Bayern were not in good shape in October 1973, a real crisis was looming. After being up 3-0 at the feared and hostile Betzenberg, the players had hoped they were out of the woods, that the worst had been past them. Yet the team was still mentally unstable at that point so that their nerves went downhill once the hosts had scored their "consolation" goal.

Regarding the two different halves (Bayern "won" the first half 3-1 yet "lost" the second 1-6!) Kaiserslautern’s manager Erich Ribbeck stated that "while we did not go into the game presumptuous, we did in fact not take Bayern that serious after our successes in recent games. That attitude almost cost us the game." Indeed, it was striking to see how Kaiserslautern did not really mark well in the first half, how the players let all things pass them by without notable resistance. There was no concentration, a lack of dedication in the Kaiserslautern side, which was very unusual. Recently, Kaiserslautern had won in Hamburg, beat Offenbach at home and drew convincingly at Mönchengladbach. Thus the players thought they could finish off the champions from Munich rather effortlessly. Almost a very costly misestimation.

During the first half, Bayern were on a roll. They were up 3-0 after 36 minutes , an unheard of score for Bayern at Kaiserslautern! These three goals matched exactly the guests' superiority, for Bayern were the only team that seemed to be on the pitch that day. The hosts ran around like headless chicken in total confusion. Only rarely did Kaiserslautern’s forwards Klaus Ackermann, Roland Sandberg and Josef Seppl Pirrung indicate their dangerousness. Bayern’s right back Johnny Hansen controlled outside left Ackermann as clearly as Katsche Schwarzenbeck controlled Swede center forward Roland Sandberg. In fact, the Bayern center back even found enough time to participate in his team's built-up in a decisive manner, assisting two goals. The replacement for injured Paul Breitner at left back, Bernd Dürnberger, had some more difficulty with outside right Josef 'Seppl' Pirrung, but he too was tolerably master of the situation in the first half. Already after six minutes the guests were one up. Schwarzenbeck had addressed a through ball to Bernd Gersdorff who was about to the enter the box when he received Schwarzenbeck's pass. Gersdorff kicked the ball past the Kaiserslautern goalie Jupp Elting, who did not look too solid: 0-1! After 12 minutes, Gersdorff scored a beautiful goal, while standing at the left edge of the penalty box, Gersdorff got the ball from Hoeness, he tried to find a way into the box but two Kaiserslautern defenders were blocking him, so he could have tried to send in a cross but instead he kicked the ball into the far right corner of Elting’s goal: 0-2! A neat little goal. Again Elting did not look so good. During the next 20 minutes, Bayern played cool and dominating like in their best games of the previous season, while Kaiserslautern looked unprepared, their players uncertain who to mark plus they seemed to lack a proper plan for this game. The only ones really threatening the Bayern goal were the Bayern players themselves. Uli Hoeness almost scored an own goal with a header after 27 minutes, but Sepp Maier managed to fist the ball over the cross bar. After 36 minutes, the game appeared to be decided. Defender Schwarzenbeck was again moving forward, his pass reached Uli Hoeness who entered the box and addressed a cross to Gerd Müller at the other side of the goalmouth who converted the ball with a header: 0-3! The hosts made it easy for Müller to score as Hoeness' cross found the Bomber standing totally unmarked only two yards in front of the goal! Kaiserslautern players and fans perplexed while the Bayern camp couldn't believe their bliss.

Nobody could have foreseen that the first 35 minutes of this game would actually only be the overture to what was to follow. The magnitude of being up by three goals at the fearsome Betzenberg seduced Bayern to lessen their efforts, instead of withdrawing and trying to take the lead into half-time, they started to get boastful and overbearing, a backheel here, a little trick there. This was to backfire four minutes after the third goal. Instead of getting the ball out of their box as fast as possible, the Bayern defenders start a risky flirtation with the ball, the last part in this chain of flippancy was Franz Roth, who in his carelessless lost the ball in an amateurish way to Pirrung at the edge of the Bayern box. Suddenly Sepp Maier faced Pirrung all on his own and the Kaiserslautern winger left Maier no chance: 1-3! The way this goal came about was very disturbing to the Bayern defenders. It was entirely their own fault, they had Kaiserslautern in the bag but now the hosts scored an important goal shortly before the break. Nervousness gripped the Bayern players, they knew that at the Betzenberg, these were the ingredients for a typical fightback in the second half. During the break, Kaiserslautern’s manager Erich Ribbeck speculated that his side could maybe achieve a draw if they would manage to score a second goal early in the second half, but all their hopes seem to be crashed eleven minutes into the second half. Franz Beckenbauer played a short through ball to Gerd Müller waiting at the penalty spot and the Bomber in typical style put the ball past Elting despite having been surrounded by two defenders: 1-4! In nine times out of ten, the game would now be decided. Some 30 minutes are left and even the most ardent Kaiserslautern fanatic would not waste a thought on his side getting even a point out of this game. But fate was on Kaiserslautern's side on that day. Only 60 seconds after Müller had scored the "match point", Klaus Toppmöller headed the ball into the back of the Bayern net: 2-4! This was exactly what the home side needed. Their fans were now motivated again, they cheered on their boys whenever they were on the ball.

Something inexplicable was happening in the Bayern side. They lost their cool, their concentration was gone, instead of determination they showed fear and panic. All this was further fuelled two minutes later, when Kaiserslautern scored their third goal. A failed attempt at a goalkick by Sepp Maier landed straightly at a Kaiserslautern player, surprised himself, the Kaiserslautern player couldn't control it and the ball jumped to Roth who in his astonishment played a badly timed back pass which in turn surprised Beckenbauer who was meant to be the recipient of said pass, Pirrung started rushing on, determined to exploit this series of lapses in the Bayern defense, putting the ball past the diving Maier: 3-4! The fans go bezerk! It is now apparent that Bayern are in for a ride. Nothing's gonna stop the hosts at this moment, new energy was released in every Kaiserslautern player. The home side's traditional strengths were now in full effect. For the next ten minutes, the Bayern box was under constant pressure but Maier in the Bayern goal was too big an obstacle. But it still looked as if the equalizer was only a matter of time. Then, in the 73rd minute, the enthusiastically celebrated fourth Kaiserslautern goal had materialized! A freekick to Kaiserslautern two yards outside the box, Herbert Laumen flicked the ball to Hermann Bitz, but Maier parried his volley shot yet Seppl Pirrung is there again, hitting the ball into the Bayern goal from a difficult angle: 4-4! The little winger's incredible game was crowned by his third goal! Sheer joy and bliss for the hosts and their fans!

During the next ten minutes, Bayern try to carry the game back to the Kaiserslautern box. Franz Beckenbauer was moving back to the midfield (like in the first half) to optimise the pressure, but nothing countable comes from it. Twelve minutes before time, Klaus Toppmöller scored the fifth goal for the hosts with a header, but it was disallowed due to an off-side position. The last ten minutes were a very tense affair, both sides could score the game winner. But Bayern were now handicapped, for a minute before Toppmöller scored his off-side goal, Bernd Gersdorff had been sent-off and thus Bayern have to face Kaiserslautern's onslaught during the last ten minutes with a man down. It would have been a wonder if Bayern had managed to score another goal under these circumstances, but the team was mentally broken anyway, even with eleven players they would have had only a slim chance surviving the "massacre" that was waiting for them. Five minutes before the end of this thriller, the orgiastically celebrated fifth was scored! Klaus Toppmöller had stopped a cross by Pirrung from the right wing with his chest standing in front of the Bayern box with his back to the goal, then passed the ball into the path of center back Ernst Diehl who came rushing forward, Diehl started a little solo in which he got round two Bayern defenders and then scored with a shot from full throttle: 5-4! Incredible! Kaiserslautern had pulled it off! This would have been an amazing feat against any opponent, but since this was accomplished against the masters of the Bundesliga, it was a sensation of the highest order and magnitude. But the game was not yet over. Enthused by their incredible comeback, Kaiserslautern kept on attacking relentlessly. Maybe on a different day Bayern could have exploited this with some counter attacks, but on this day, fate was on Kaiserslautern's side. Whatever they did, it worked out well. Their opponents were down and beaten like a dog. Two minutes after the fifth goal came the sixth. Hermann Bitz passed the ball to Herbert Laumen in front of the Bayern box, he created space for himself by beating off Franz Roth, then he beat Maier with a dry shot (Maier was standing too far out of his goal): 6-4! Bayern simply knocked-out. A minute before time, Laumen scored his second goal, gliding through the Bayern defense with a solo, he beat off defenders, with Beckenbauer on his right, Laumen could chose in which corner to kick the ball: 7-4!

Special service: You can watch all goals and further highlights from this game here (the commentary lags behind by 20 seconds).

There were two "Men of the Match": Obviously the scorer of three goals, tiny Seppl Pirrung who fooled Bernd Dürnberger time and again during the second half, Pirrung was everywhere around the Bayern box, on the right, the left, centrally. The Bayern defense didn’t know what was happening to them, Dürnberger unable to contain Pirrung at any moment during the second half. The other player that impressed most was Klaus Toppmöller. His considerate yet dynamic way of playing in the second half was mostly responsible for Kaiserslautern's momentous comeback. Toppmöller channelled the raw energy, urge and enthusiasm of his teammates into forceful and accomplished attacking. His strength at heading was a great bonus, as Toppmöller was cutting out almost all attempts of Bayern to play a long ball over the midfield to the forwards. A tremendous performance by Pirrung and Toppmöller. These two players had beaten big breaches into Bayern’s defense, whose resistance slackened more and more. Also strong showings by right back Lothar Huber and sweeper Klaus Schwager. For Bayern, Katsche Schwarzenbeck, Uli Hoeness, Franz Beckenbauer and Johnny Hansen played very well in the first 55 minutes. But during the last 20 minutes, they all played catastrophically. When Beckenbauer was going forward, he was highly impressive, but it would have been wiser to withdraw to the penalty box. When he did so in the last ten minutes, he was unable to organize the more and more collapsing defense around him.

Bayern’s Betzenberg debacle stemmed from the lack of concentration and presumptuousness which was already visible at the end of the first half. This overbearing was then replaced by panic and disorder. In midfield, Franz Roth and Rainer Zobel were no match for Laumen and Toppmöller duing the last 30 minutes of the game. Even Uli Hoeness could not stem against the pressure of the hosts anymore and Bernd Gersdorff, who had started so well with two goals, was neutralized by the two-fisted Hermann Bitz. Unsurprisingly, with the midfield so overpowered, Bayern’s defense was overburdened. Roland Sandberg, who was helpless against Schwarzenbeck during the first half when he played as a center forward was instrumental in Kaiserslautern’s rout in the second half, as he left the box, quickly evading to the flanks, Schwarzenbeck followed him and thus there was quite a gap in Bayern’s defense. Bayern manager Udo Lattek four days before the long awaited clash with the East German champions Dynamo Dresden faced a terrible task. After this historic beating, it was almost impossible to get his players back on track in such short time. But Lattek somehow managed it and it was arguably one of his most impressive accomplishments as a manager. Instead of ticking his players off, Lattek had to act as a sensitive psychologue (somewhat against his nature) and that he pulled this walk on a tightrope off was a remarkable achievement. But Bayern were still on the verge of annihilation in the game against Dresden in Munich, being down 0-1 after 13 minutes after an own goal by Hansen. But during the next ten minutes, Willi Hoffmann and Bernd Dürnberger scored two goals brining Bayern up 2-1 but before half-time Dresden had scored two goals themselves and thus Bayern were down 2-3 at home in this most important game when they went to the dressing room. In the second half, Franz Roth and Gerd Müller managed to score two vital goals so that Bayern eventually won that thriller 4-3. The second leg in East Germany was almost as thrilling a game. Uli Hoeness had scored two quick goals after two magnificent solos but Dresden managed to turn the game around, another great comeback, they were up 3-2 after 56 minutes, but only a minute after Häfner had scored Dynamo’s third goal, Müller scored the equalizer. The game ended 3-3 and Bayern had finally brought their historic crisis from autumn 1973 behind them. Shortly before Christmas 1973, they beat their closest competitors Borussia Mönchengladbach in another thrilling clash 4-3. The second half of the season was dominated by Bayern in the old style again. Beckenbauer led his teammates to a third consecutive Bundesliga title, to a triumph in the European Cup and then finally West Germany to World Cup victory in July 1974. But all these postitive developments were in no way foreseeable after the 4-7 at Kaiserslautern.

The historic dimension of the game was highlighted by the fact that never before did a Bundesliga side lose a game by three goals (4-7) in which they had been up by three goals (4-1)! It was little consolation to the Bayern camp that at the same hour, their arch rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach lost almost equally sensationally 1-6 at Stuttgart. The Betzenberg again proved to be an insurmountable obstacle for almost all guest sides, Kaiserslautern had scored 25-14 goals and had gained 13-3 points after this game. There has probably never been a game with two halves so different as in this one. In the first half Bayern played so well that even the Kaiserslautern crowd had to marvel, so variable was their tactic. In the second half, Kaiserslautern developed an ardour of the chase in accordance with their fanatical crowd which made Bayern's resistance look helpless, like the work of an apprentice next to that of a master.


-----------------------------------1. FC Kaiserslautern

---------------------------------------------Elting

----------------------------Huber-----Diehl----Schwager---Fuchs

--------------------------------Bitz-----K.Toppmöller----Laumen

----------------------------Pirrung------Sandberg-----Ackermann

-----------------------------------Manager: Erich Ribbeck


--------------------------------------- Bayern Munich

------------------------------------G.Müller----W.Hoffmann

-----------------------------Gersdorff---Roth---U.Hoeness—Zobel

---------------------Dürnberger-Schwarzenbeck-Beckenbauer-Hansen

-----------------------------------------------Maier

---------------------------------------Manager: Udo Lattek


---------------------------------------Subs:
---------------------------------------none