Bayer coach Erich Garske has to manage without a number of regular starters and instead relies on players from the junior and reserve teams. Without key players such as regular keeper Fredy Mutz, the twin brothers Karl and Martin Gramminger as well as Werner Torner and Hans-Otto Peters, the Werkself came under pressure early on.
Horst Maier gave the Black and Yellows a deserved 1-0 lead on 11 minutes. Although Reiner Arenz equalised for Bayer 04 in the 20th minute, Schlebusch right winger Johann Stahlberg restored their lead before the break - 2-1 to the underdogs.
After the restart, SV Schlebusch even increased their lead to 3-1 on 54 minutes. The Werkself now took command and created several chances, but were thwarted either by the uncompromising defence of Matthias Valentin - a former long-time Bayer 04 referee organiser - or by the outstanding goalkeeper Werner Steilen.
Steilen, a former Bayer 04 youth player who had even received a call-up to the Germany team in the 1950s, excelled himself in this match. In the 1955/56 season, he played in goal three times in place of the injured Fredy Mutz in the Oberliga West, but otherwise mainly featured for the reserve team. Now, however, he shone against his old team-mates - with saves to keep out Heinz Höher and Werner Röhrig, among others - and he secured a sensational triumph for his team.
After the final whistle, there is no holding back: SV Schlebusch celebrate frenetically, the small club has defeated its big neighbour. Although the exit came in the next round of the Pokal against FC Köln - the Goats won 4:0 - the historic victory against Bayer 04 remains unforgotten in these parts.
And: Eight years later, in 1968, SV Schlebusch struck a similar blow once again. They beat the Regional League West champions 1-0 and knocked the Werkself out of the Pokal.
Jacek Krzynowek was born on 15 May 1976 in Kamiensk, Poland, and grew up as a typical country boy. He spent his childhood less in structured training sessions and more on simple pitches, where he spent hours playing football with older boys. He realised early on that he had exceptional shooting power and enormous stamina. But for a long time, he didn't appreciate just how much talent he had. While others dream of a great career, professional football initially seems like a distant world to him that he only knows from television.
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Carsten ‘Calle’ Ramelow was born in Berlin on 20 March 1974. He began his football career in the youth teams at Tasmania 73, Tennis Borussia, SC Siemensstadt and, last but not least, Hertha Berlin. It was here that he reached the DFB Pokal final in 1993 with the Hertha Bubis team, the amateur team at Hertha Berlin, against his future employer Bayer 04 Leverkusen. But even he was unable to prevent the Werkself's 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Ulf Kirsten.
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The 1995/1996 season brought some innovations. For the first time, each player was given a squad number with his name printed on the back of the jersey. For the first time, coaches were allowed to make three substitutions and for the first time, three points are awarded for a win. And for the first time, I am no longer my team's number 1. I wear it on my back, but Dirk Heinen has taken over me in goal. So at first I sat on the bench a bit offended, but in the Rückrunde I realised I also had to make my contribution to the success of a team.
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In this video you can see impressive and important goals in the history of Bayer 04 from the month of May. It's not always about the beauty of the goals, but also a reminder of special games and players.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen, promoted to the Oberliga West, welcome VfL 99 Köln for the last game of a successful season. This time, the crowd of just 2,000 spectators saw more of a friendly than a championship match. Little fight, little goalmouth action and few moves in midfield to warm the hearts of the spectators. It takes a corner to give Bayer 04 the lead. Peter Röger is on hand with his head and nods home on 43 minutes for the half-time lead. When Karl-Heinz Spikofski increased the lead to 2-0 a quarter of an hour after the restart, the result was settled. The team from Cologne were able to reduce the deficit to 2-1 in the final minute, but in the end the spectators went home looking forward to the first season for a Bayer 04 team in Oberliga West 1.
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