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1.06.2021Bayer 04

Matches of the month: Salvation on matchday 33 – Race to be top goalscorer

On the penultimate matchday of the 1980/81 season, Bayer 04 had a three-point lead over the drop zone. Exactly as in the first season, the Werkself are never really threatened with relegation but the team cannot completely shake off the threat in their second season in the Bundesliga. On matchday 33 there is an away trip to Duisburg for a game at the Wedau Stadium.

In a match full of counter-attacks, the team led by Willibert Kremer dismantle the Zebras and could have been further ahead than 4-0 after 70 minutes. The two goals scored by Duisburg in the last ten minutes are due to lapses of concentration in the Bayer 04 defence who just appeared to be chaperoning the MSV strikers out of anticipation of reaching the target of another year in the Bundesliga. The game ends in a deserved 4-2 victory.

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Kirsten and Yeboah neck and neck

The last matchday of the 1992/93 season. The stadium is full and Leverkusen are looking forward to the cup final the following week. Nevertheless, this match against Borussia Mönchengladbach still has great significance: On the one hand, it's about securing a place in Europe in the improbable event of a defeat against the Hertha Berlin Reserves a week later, and on the other hand the first win of the top goalscorer trophy by a Bayer 04 player, that is Ulf Kirsten. After his main rival Anthony Yeboah (Eintracht Frankfurt) pulled ahead in the first half, there is huge joy amongst the fans and the team when the 'Schwatte' makes it 2-0 on the hour mark to pull level with Yeboah. The Werkself win 4-0 against Mönchengladbach with Yeboah and Ulf Kirsten both topping the scorers list with 20 goals. The two players are awarded the top goalscorer trophy at the next meeting of Bayer 04 and Eintracht Frankfurt in September 1993. Bayer 04 TV bring you the highlights of the win against the Foals. Click HERE for the video.

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A week later, Kirsten is the hero with the much celebrated only goal of the game for the DFB Cup winners of 1993: Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

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