In a preview of this game, the former Bayer 04 player Franz Wichelhaus said he would drop the Leverkusen centre forward Fritz Tiede. The blond Fritz, as he was called under the Bayer Cross, was the strong in the air centre forward for the Werkself. Born in Cologne, he came to Leverkusen in 1951 and scored 44 goals for the Werkself in 57 Oberliga matches in his five years at the club. The lofty Fritz did have one handicap – he was longsighted. More than once he was in the opposition half with the ball and before he made a pass he ensured it was one of his teammates: "Walter, is that you?"
That Sunday was another Tiede day. Mönchengladbach were unable to frustrate the tall blond player even with a number of fouls. On 13 minutes, Emil 'Bubi' Becks crossed into the Gladbach penalty area where Fritz Tiede scored with a wonderful flying header. Just four minutes later, the former FC player Walter Nußbaum scored direct from a free kick from 30 metres out to make it 2-0.
That was the half-time score in front of a crowd of 5,000 spectators. In the second half there was end to end action but the match dropped off initially. The Werkself only really came back into the game when Fritz Tiede scored with a brilliant overhead kick on 67 minutes at 3-0. On 89 minutes, Leo Bering made the most of the many chances in the last 20 minutes with a great long-range strike.
The 4-0 victory did not bring the Werkself closer to rivals SV Sodingen but the way the team played provided hope for the remaining seven games.
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.
Show moreIt 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.
Show moreIn 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.
Show moreAhead 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.
Show moreSV 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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