Back
1.12.2023Bayer 04

Match of the Month: 40 years ago – Commitment, technique, excitement, goals.

Matchday 17 in the 1983/84 season brings a derby at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. It is 9 December 1983, the last game before the winter break. Our stadium is, unimaginable today, not sold out but does have a decent crowd of 15,000. Around 2,000 spectators have crossed the Rhine from Cologne.

Display videos

Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.

The two sides are evenly matched. One place in the table separates the teams. The Werkself are seventh on 18 points and FC Köln eighth with a point less.

An exciting game develops from the start, "spirited battling, tireless commitment, technical skills, electric atmosphere and exciting goalmouth action on both sides provides everything that makes a football game worth watching" (kicker from 12.12.19 83). FC Köln take the lead on three minutes from the corner with an inswinging ball that goes over my fingers. I don't think the ball was completely over the line but it was my fault nevertheless. FC Köln look to increase the lead and bombard the Bayer goal. The Werkself resist, take up the challenge and battle their way back into the game. The equaliser at 1-1 on 33 minutes is deserved. Herbert Waas turns in a cross from sweeper Dieter Bast. That's the score at half-time.

The outstanding South Korean striker Bum-kun Cha scores to make it 2-1 on 57 minutes. In tandem with his strike partner Herbert Waas, he is suddenly one-on-one with Germany keeper Toni Schumacher and he nutmegs him. The ball rolls into the net and the Bayer 04 fans celebrate." Klaus Allofs has another chance with a header five minutes later but the Werkself hold onto the 2-1 lead to secure the first Bundesliga victory against FC Köln.

With 20 points, Bayer 04 have never done as well before in their history in the Bundesliga.

The line-ups:

Bayer 04: Vollborn – Posner, Bast, Gelsdorf, Saborowski (Winklhofer 57’), Vöge (Geschlecht 84’), Hörster, Bittorf, Wojtowicz, Cha, Waas

FC Köln: Schumacher – Prestin (Mennie 79’), Strack, Hönerbach, Hartmann, Zimmermann, Engels, Haas (Willmer 53’), Littbarski, Fischer, Allofs

 

Related News

Mannschaftsfoto 1950
Bayer 04 - 01.08.2025

History: 75 years ago – The 1950/51 season (August)

Bayer 04 started the new season on 20 July 1950. To the applause from almost 2,000 spectators, the Werkself stepped onto the pitch at the Am Stadtpark stadium and the season target was clear to the supporters: finally achieve promotion to the Oberliga West. Under the direction of new coach Raymond Schwab, who brought one of his Essen players with him in the shape of Karl-Heinz Spikofski, the team did a couple of laps. Coach Schwab gave a speech in front of all the fans where he clearly imparted his request for calm in the stands and he said he hated nothing more than heckling or laughing when mistakes are made. He hoped the Bayer 04 supporters would follow his advice.

Show more
Horst Knauf wird 65 | Geburtstagskind des Monats August
Bayer 04 - 01.08.2025

Birthday boy of the month I: Horst Knauf turns 65

Horst Knauf was born in Cologne on 16 August 1960. As a teenager he played for PSV Köln before signing for the Bayer 04 Leverkusen U19s as a talented midfielder in 1976. He made the move up from the second team to the Bundesliga squad in 1980. Over the following three years he played 39 Bundesliga games and scored two goals. Above all in the difficult 1981/82 season for the Werkself with the play-off games against Kickers Offenbach, he played a big part in saving Bayer 04 with 21 appearances. But under the new coach Dettmar Cramer he rarely made a start and he decided to move on.

Show more
Holger Aden
Bayer 04 - 01.08.2025

Birthday boy of the month II: Holger Aden turns 60

Holger Aden was born in Hamburg on 25 August 1965. He learned all about playing football and, above all, scoring goals at the two Hamburg clubs Niendorfer TSV and TSV DuWo 08 Hamburg. After progression from the youth teams, he played for other Hamburg clubs. One after the other he appeared for Concordia Hamburg, Altona 93 and SC Norderstedt. The centre-forward regularly found the back of the opposition net. He scored 22 goals for SC Norderstedt in the 1988/89 season.

Show more
Michael Ballack, der Capitano | Legende des Monats August
Bayer 04 - 01.08.2025

Legends: Michael Ballack, the Capitano

Michael Ballack was born in Görlitz in the GDR on 26 September 1976. He displayed his talent for football at a young age. After his family moved to Karl-Marx-Stadt, now called Chemnitz, he started playing for BSG Motor ‘Fritz Heckert’ Karl-Marx-Stadt where he constantly continued to develop his ability on the pitch. From year seven he went to the children and youth sports college and there he received systematic support in sport that led, against the background of his increasing ability, to a move to FC Karl-Marx-Stadt. At the age of 16, he had to take a six-month break due to growing pains, but then there was no stopping Michael after that.

Show more
Von Kießling bis Ökland | Tore des Monats August
Bayer 04 - 01.08.2025

Goals of the month: From Kießling to Ökland

In this video you can watch impressive and important goals in the history of Bayer 04 in the month of August. It is not always about the beauty of the goals but also about remembering special games and players.

Show more