After trailing 1-0 at half-time, the Bayer team took control of the game and scored a well-deserved equaliser in the 65th minute through former Benrath player Theo Kirchberg. Later in the game, centre-forward Emil Becks hit the post, but in the end Bayer 04 managed to hold on for the one point. The Leverkusen supporters went home in high spirits, as the Werkself could now secure promotion with a draw against bottom-placed Fortuna Köln in front of a large crowd at home at the Stadtpark.
Heinz Nelles, press spokesman and editor of the Bayer 04 Sprachrohr, the Werkself's weekly newsletter, gets the fans in the mood for the match on 8 April 1951. "On Sunday, our loyal supporters will certainly not let anything in the world stop them from being eye and ear witnesses to an event that will make our hearts beat faster. There will be something happening on the Bayer pitch on Sunday, because in human terms, the dream of all football fans should come true on Sunday."
And yes, there is something going on. 7,000 Bayer 04 fans made the pilgrimage to the Stadtpark with flags and trumpets. The anticipation is great. And the jubilation too, when Karl-Heinz Spikofski grabs the ball on the halfway line on seven minutes and dribbles through the Fortuna defence to score the opener at 1-0. When left winger Paul Wiorek was put through twice and netted twice, the game was already decided before half-time, even though Fortuna did manage to score a second goal to make it 2-1.
After the break, the spectators really got into the mood, as it is once again Paul Wiorek who increases the lead to 4-1 with his third goal. Emil Becks made it 5-1 with a quarter of an hour to go, and Fortuna's second goal could not dampen the joy of the team and fans at the final whistle. For the first time in their almost 50-year history, the Bayer footballers are a first division team. The fans storm the pitch and carry their heroes on their shoulders to the awards ceremony. Captain Hans Frömmel receives a winner's wreath from the Chairman of Bayer 04, Dr Fritz Jacobi, and photos are taken of the team together with the Werkself's D youth team.
The next day, a major column appears in the German sports newspaper SPORT-BEOBACHTER. In a print run of 120,000 copies, there is a full-page profile of the new Oberliga team SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen. The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger also devotes a full page to the successful team, presenting the individual players in words and pictures.
One week after the great success, Bayer 04 can measure their strength against an Oberliga team. The first-round match against Preußen Dellbrück is scheduled in the Western Germany Pokal. With equal shares of play and scoring chances on both sides, the game remained goalless until the break, although it could have been 3-3 at this point. The goals started to come in the second half. And just as everyone in the Stadtpark was preparing for extra time with the score at 2-2, goalkeeper Helmut Rennen made a mistake. On 87 minutes, he surprisingly let in a shot from a considerable distance, signalling the team's elimination from the cup. The 4-2 scoreline then no longer mattered. The Werkself can now concentrate on their final two matches.
The final match in April takes place on 22 April 1951. At Union Krefeld, the promoted team from the city of colours had the advantage on the pitch thanks to its technically good football, but it was unable to score because the Krefeld goalkeeper simply could not be beaten on this day. Instead - the Krefeld team scored the opener before the break. When captain Hans Frömmel equalised in the 50th minute and Richard Job scored eight minutes later to make it 2-1, everything seemed to point to a victory for the Werkself. However, Paul Wiorek was sent off midway through the second half and the Bayer team came under increasing pressure as the game wore on. Union equalised two minutes before the end - the team and fans headed home with a point picked up.
The schedule for the next few weeks still includes the last league match on the first weekend in May and many friendly matches, especially against Oberliga teams such as Wormatia Worms, Eintracht Kreuznach and Stuttgarter Kickers. Preparation for the first Oberliga season with matches against big names such as Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund, Rot-Weiss Essen and FC Köln is already starting with these friendlies. The city of colours is gearing up.
Michael Ballack was born on 26 September 1976 in Görlitz, in what was then East Germany. His talent for football became apparent at an early age. After his family moved to Karl-Marx-Stadt – now Chemnitz – he began playing football for BSG Motor ‘Fritz Heckert’ Karl-Marx-Stadt, where he steadily developed his skills. From Year 7 onwards, he attended the Children’s and Youth Sports School and received systematic sporting support, which, in 1988 – due to his growing skill as a player – led to a move to FC Karl-Marx-Stadt. At the age of 16, he had to take a six-month break due to growth problems, but after that, Michael was unstoppable.
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José Elias Moedim Júnior, known as Zé Elias, was born on 25 September 1976 in São Paulo. He received his football training at Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, or Corinthians for short, and was promoted to the first team at the age of just 17. PSV Eindhoven had already taken notice of him by this stage, but the move to Europe was still too early for him. The tenacious defensive midfielder established himself in the first team over the following three years. With Corinthians, Zé Elias won the São Paulo City Championship and the Brazilian Cup in 1995. With his excellent vision, his determination and his assured ball control, he made a significant contribution to his team’s success.
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In their second season in Bundesliga 2 North, the Werkself face Fortuna Köln at their home ground, the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, on matchday 7. Both teams are level on seven points, sitting eighth and ninth in the table.
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In this video you can see impressive and important goals in the history of Bayer 04 from the month of September. It's not always about the beauty of the goals, but also a reminder of special games and players.
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September gets off to a disastrous start, though not for the Werkself: the German national team, featuring Bayer 04 players Jens Nowotny, Michael Ballack and Oliver Neuville, suffer a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of England in a World Cup qualifier at the Olympic Stadium in Munich. Jens Nowotny, in particular, came in for sharp criticism. With this defeat, Germany’s direct qualification is now hanging in the balance.
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