The Black and Reds take the lead on four minutes thanks to a goal from left winger Horst Schultz. A journalist in his news report describes the Bayer 04 style of play as of "the English style: unpretentious, powerful and with sober-minded success." Borussia look to find the winning way by playing a passing game on the tricky snow-covered surface, which only succeeds at times. Nevertheless, Alfred Kelbassa levels for the Black and Yellows on 28 minutes but Leo Bering restores the lead for the Bayer team before half-time.
In the second half, BVB attack the goal brilliantly minded by Fredi Mutz. Mutz, playing in a tracksuit because of the cold, could not prevent Wolfgang Peters equalising before half-time. But this time it only takes ten minutes before Leo Behring again gives the Werkself the lead. One Borussia attack after the other rains down on the Bayer 04 goal but the players led by centre back Peter Röger stop any further goals being scored.
The Kicker on the Werkself: "The team avoid any forms of deception. That's why they are clearly underrated. Every player appears worked through and sees himself as a modest servant for the good of the team as a whole."
In addition, a newspaper reporter visits the Bayer 04 dressing room after the game and discovers, "that there has rarely been a more heartfelt harmony between the players and the officials of a club. And this mental approach could provide the solution to the puzzle of the continuing Bayer wins."
Harmony has never undermined sporting success, we saw that last season.
Emil 'Bubi' Becks was born in Essen on 12 March 1925. As a teenager he played for Union Frintrop. He moved on from Adler Frintrop to the senior team at Rot-Weiß Oberhausen where he scored ten goals in 19 games in his first year in the First Oberliga West. As a skilful centre forward, he brought his teammates into play and was always dangerous in the penalty area. With increasing age he played further and further back with his last games in defensive midfield.
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It is 27 March 1955. Bayer 04 are set to play relegation-threatened Borussia Mönchengladbach at the Stadion Am Stadtpark. In the Oberliga West in the 1954/55 season, Rot-Weiß Essen are in top spot ahead of the club from Herne, SV Sodingen. The Werkself are having a good season and need every point after the defeat in Münster a week before to get back to second place, which would qualify the club for the games for the German Championship title.
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In this video you can watch impressive and important goals in the history of Bayer 04 in the month of March. It is not always about the beauty of the goals but also about remembering special games and players.
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Ahead of matchday 25 in the 1999/2000 season, the Werkself are in second place in the Bundesliga two points behind reigning champions Bayern Munich. The champions have been top of the table since matchday 10 and the rest of the league are trying to stay in touch with Bayern. From matchday 24, an exciting race develops between Bayer 04 and FC Bayern that lasts to the end of the season.
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SV Baesweiler are the visitors to the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on 2 March 1975. With a 2-1 win in front of a crowd of 1,600 the Werkself get revenge for the defeat in the reverse fixture but the best thing about this game were not just two points. Leverkusen failed to really impress against battling visitors. It looked very good after an early goal from Matthias Hemmersbach on eight minutes but the Werkself again went too far with individual actions. Bayer 04 were on top in the first half. And Peter Surbach made it 2-0 with a header at the start of the second 45 but suddenly everything fell apart. Baesweiler pulled a goal back on the hour mark and besieged the goal brilliantly minded by Hubert Makel. In the end it was down to him that the game ended with a 2-1 win.
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