1973 DFB-Pokal Final

The 1973 DFB-Pokal Final, which decided the winner of the 1972–73 DFB-Pokal, took place on 23 June 1973 between Borussia Mönchengladbach and 1. FC Köln in the Rheinstadion in Düsseldorf. The sports magazine kicker described it as one of the "best, highest energy, and exciting" DFB-Pokal matches ever played.[2] It was in this match that Günter Netzer famously substituted himself on.[3][4] Shortly after this, Netzer scored what would be the winning goal for Borussia.

1973 DFB-Pokal Final
Match programme cover
Event1972–73 DFB-Pokal
Borussia
Mönchengladbach		 1. FC Köln
2 1
After extra time
Date23 June 1973 (1973-06-23)
VenueRheinstadion, Düsseldorf
RefereeKurt Tschenscher (Mannheim)[1]
Attendance69,600

As winners, Mönchengladbach qualified for the 1973–74 European Cup Winners' Cup.

Background

Gladbach coach Hennes Weisweiler in nine years had raised Gladbach from the second tier of German football to top European football. A large contribution to this success was due to Günter Netzer, who Weisweiler shared a love-hate relationship.[5] However, in the 1972–73 season, Netzer was plagued with weaknesses and injuries, and Borussia finished a somewhat disappointing fifth place in the Bundesliga.[6] Shortly before the match, news broke that Netzer would transfer to Real Madrid in the summer, making the match his farwell for Borussia. The day before the final, Weisweiler announced that Netzer would not be in the starting lineup, as Weisweiler was already planning for Netzer's absence. To Weisweiler, Netzer replied, "that's brave of you". At the same time Netzer had to admit internally that the decision was justified due to concerns over his fitness.[3] For his replacement, Weisweiler brought on Herbert Wimmer as central midfielder and team captain.

1. FC Köln had made the cup final thrice in the previous five seasons, winning once, and went into the match as a slight favourites.[7]

Route to the final

The DFB-Pokal began with 32 teams in a two-legged knockout cup competition. There were a total of four rounds leading up to the final. Teams were drawn against each other, and following two legs of 90 minutes each, the winner on aggregate would advance. If still tied, 30 minutes of extra time was played. If the score was still level, a penalty shoot-out was used to determine the winner.[8]

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

Borussia Mönchengladbach Round 1. FC Köln
Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg 1972–73 DFB-Pokal Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg
Freiburger FC 8–4 1–3 (A) 7–1 (H) Round 1 Fortuna Köln 5–2 1–2 (A) 4–0 (a.e.t.) (H)
Schalke 04 3–1 2–0 (A) 1–1 (H) Round of 16 Hamburger SV 6–3 2–2 (A) 4–1 (H)
1. FC Kaiserslautern 5–2 2–1 (H) 3–1 (A) Quarter-finals Eintracht Braunschweig 8–2 5–0 (A) 3–2 (H)
Werder Bremen 7–3 3–1 (A) 4–2 (H) Semi-finals Kickers Offenbach 6–1 5–0 (H) 1–1 (A)

Match

Summary

Gladbach went ahead 24 minutes in via a goal by Herbert Wimmer, but just before the break, the Köln found an equaliser through Herbert Neumann. Netzer was on the bench, but the Borussia fans demanded he be substituted on. Cameras were trained on him, watching his every movement. During the entire first half, spectators at the Rheinstadion demanded to see Netzer subbed in. At half-time Weisweiler wanted to substitute Netzer on, but he rejected this, saying, "better that it not be me".[6]

In the 58th minute, Gladbach attacker Jupp Heynckes was fouled by Jupp Kapellmann inside the box, and referee Kurt Tschenscher awarded a penalty. Contrary to the old football rule, Heynckes himself took the penalty, and saw it saved by Köln goalkeeper Gerhard Welz. Protests that Welz had moved too early were dismissed by the referee. Further into the second half, Köln twice hit the crossbar via Jürgen Glowacz in the 67th minute and Heinz Flohe in the 81st minutes. In the 86th minute, a shot by Gladbach's Heynckes also hit the woodwork. However, at the end of 90 minutes the score remained level at 1–1, and extra time was required.[9]

As the game went to extra time, Netzer spoke to the exhausted Christian Kulik, asking whether he still felt fit. Upon Kulik expressing doubt, Netzer took off his training jacket, went to Weisweiler, and informed him that he would be substituting himself in for Kulik, saying "I'll play now then".[3][4]

In the 94th minute, minutes after his substitution, Netzer scored what would be the winning goal with his second touch of the match following a wall pass with teammate Rainer Bonhof.[2][3] Netzer later admitted that he took the ball "completely wrong" with the outer instep, thereby out of reach of the keeper Welz.[6] He called it "the luckiest moment of my football career", because it was "meant" to go awry.[10] His winning goal was later voted Goal of the Month for June 1971 and Goal of the Year for 1971.[11]

Details
Borussia Mönchengladbach2–1 (a.e.t.)1. FC Köln
 Report Neumann  40'
Attendance: 69,600
Borussia Mönchengladbach
1. FC Köln
GK1 Wolfgang Kleff
RB5 Rainer Bonhof
CB3 Berti Vogts
CB4 Klaus-Dieter Sieloff
LB2 Heinz Michallik
CM6 Dietmar Danner
CM10 Christian Kulik 91'
CM8 Herbert Wimmer (c)
RW7 Henning Jensen
CF9 Bernd Rupp 117'
LW11 Jupp Heynckes
Substitutes:
MF12 Günter Netzer 91'
MF14 Uli Stielike 117'
Manager:
Hennes Weisweiler
GK1 Gerhard Welz
RB9 Jupp Kapellmann
CB4 Wolfgang Weber
CB5 Bernhard Cullmann
LB2 Herbert Hein
RM8 Heinz Flohe
CM6 Heinz Simmet
CM3 Herbert Neumann
LM10 Wolfgang Overath (c) 71'
CF7 Jürgen Glowacz 71'
CF11 Hannes Löhr
Substitutes:
DF12 Harald Konopka 71'
FW15 Rainer Gebauer 71'
Manager:
Rudi Schlott

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra time if necessary.
  • Replay if scores still level.
  • Maximum of two substitutions.

Impact

Netzer's goal was chosen as goal of the month, and he was named German footballer of the year for a second consecutive year.[12][13] Netzer moved to Real Madrid, playing for them until 1976, where he twice won the Spanish cup and league.[14]

Weisweiler compensated with the loss of Netzer with young players as Borussia went on to win the Bundesliga and the UEFA Cup in 1975.[15]

1. FC Köln did not win a second DFB-Pokal title until 1977, after Weisweiler had taken over there as coach.[15]

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References
  1. "Schiedsrichter: Der erste war Berliner". DFB-Pokal: Das offizielle Stadionmagazin des Deutschen Fußball-Bundes. German Football Association. 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  2. Als Netzer sich selbst einwechselte. goal.com
  3. „Ich spiel dann jetzt“. wz.newsline.de
  4. Christian Kulik über Netzers Selbsteinwechslung. 11freunde.de
  5. Interview Günter Netzer: Weisweiler und ich stritten uns zum Titel auf www.express.de
  6. Günter Netzer: Mein Abschiedsgeschenk. rp.online
  7. Als Netzer sich unsterblich machte auf einestages.de
  8. "Modus" [Mode]. dfb.de (in German). German Football Association. 15 August 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  9. Dino Reisner: DFB-Pokal: Tore, Dramen, Sensationen aus 60 Jahren Spitzenfußball, Stiebner Verlag GmbH, 2011,S. 63
  10. Er spielte doch. Archived 13 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine dfbpokal-walkoffame.de
  11. "Die zehn wichtigsten Pokalfinals aller Zeiten" (in German). sportal.de. 18 April 2008. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  12. Tor des Monats Günter Netzer auf sportschau.de
  13. West Germany: Footballer of the year auf rsssf.com
  14. Günter Netzer Biographie auf whoswho.de
  15. Hennes Weisweiler auf rheinische-geschichte.lvr.de
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