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FC Bayern Munich 1–2 Norwich City F.C. (1993)

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FC Bayern Munich 1–2 Norwich City F.C. (1993)
Event1993–94 UEFA Cup, second round
Bayern Munich Norwich City
1 2
Date20 October 1993
VenueOlympic stadium, Munich
Attendance28,500

Bayern Munich vs Norwich City was a 1993–94 UEFA Cup second round, first leg match, played on 20 October 1993. The match finished Bayern Munich 1 Norwich City 2.

The match was a huge upset in European football; it has been described as "the pinnacle of Norwich City's history" and it was the only defeat ever inflicted by a British club on Bayern Munich in their Olympic stadium.[1] That it was Norwich that inflicted the defeat was startling: Norwich were "mere babes at this level",[2] and, according to Norwich player Jeremy Goss, "There's no doubt Bayern assumed it would be easy".[3]

The second leg was played on 3 November 1993 and was drawn 1–1, meaning that Norwich won the tie 3–2 on aggregate. They went on be defeated by eventual champions Inter Milan in the third round.[4][5]

Background

Walker targeted World-Cup winner Lothar Matthäus as an unlikely weak link in the Bayern Munich team

This was Norwich City's only European campaign,[6] achieved by virtue of finishing in third place in the inaugural Premier League season,[7] their highest-ever league placing.[6] The European campaign capped Norwich City's "great success in the early Nineties".[8]

By contrast, Bayern were regular competitors in European competitions. The club had, at the time of the tie, won four European trophies,[9] as well as 12 German titles,[10] and a host of domestic cups.[11] Moreover, Munich were to go on to win the Bundesliga once again that season.[11] Norwich's victory was, by the time that Bayern Munich moved to a new stadium, the only win at the Olympic Stadium by any visiting team in UEFA club football.[12]

The apparent mismatch between the sides led to an expectation of an overwhelming Munich victory. In The Times, columnist Martin Samuel summarised the situation: "The Germans had never lost at home to an English side and Norwich's expedition was regarded as little more than an exotic day out with a football match attached".[13] This perception couldn't help but reach the players, which was to be significant. According to Norwich player, Jeremy Goss, before the match, "everyone around us was saying we would do well to keep it down to three or four nil".[14] Both camps were to respond to this feeling, in a manner that has subsequently been viewed as contributory to the eventual result.

In the days leading up to the match, Norwich manager, Mike Walker, remained resolutely optimistic: "Clearly nobody had alerted Walker to the doomed nature of his mission ... the day before the game he was telling anybody who would listen that he fancied it".[13] Walker had focused his attention on an unlikely weak link in Munich's team: Lothar Matthäus was the captain of Germany, a player with a distinguished pedigree in European football. He had won most of the major honours available to him, including the most recent World Cup,[15] the Ballon d'Or,[16] and the FIFA World Player of the Year.[17] Yet by now Matthäus was 32 years old,[citation needed] perhaps past his best.[citation needed] He was no longer playing in the position of midfield in which he had enjoyed so much success for club and country, he was operating for Munich as a sweeper.[18] "With the bravado of a European novice it was Walker's opinion that ... [Matthäus] wasn't good enough. Delightfully, he was right".[13]

The Independent assessed Norwich's tactics as follows: "Walker has introduced a sweeper system and given it a positive face. Three defenders patrol the spaces in front of Ian Culverhouse while Mark Bowen advances to add his control and passing ability to the forward momentum".[19]

Match summary

Gunn's late saves helped preserve his side's lead

Some 12 minutes into the match Rob Newman's floated cross was headed away weakly by a back-pedaling Matthaus, towards the edge of the Bayern Munich penalty area. It fell straight into the path of Jeremy Goss. "I didn't have to adjust my stride, I just hit it on the volley with my right foot. It was as sweet as anything", said Goss.[14] The result was "a screaming 20-yard volley" into the top left hand corner of the net.[13]

After 26 minutes, a serious injury forced striker Mark Robins off. He was replaced by Daryl Sutch, but just three minutes later, Ian Crook knocked a free kick from the half way line towards the back post. Chris Sutton and Oliver Kreuzer jumped for the ball, which floated over their heads. Stealing in behind both of them, Mark Bowen met the ball with a stooping header, which flew past a stranded Raimond Aumann, giving Norwich a two goal lead. A shocked John Motson commented, "And Norwich are two up. This is almost fantasy football!".[citation needed]

In the 40th minute, Munich pressure told when a cross from Jorginho was converted by Christian Nerlinger. Nerlinger beat Spencer Prior to the ball and successfully steered his header inside Bryan Gunn's left hand post.

After the interval, most of the game was contested in the Norwich half, with Matthaus in particular proving to be instrumental in orchestrating many of the Bayern Munich attacks. After 70 minutes, Matthaus forced Gunn to save, low to his right with an effort that took a deflection. The subsequent corner ended with Jorginho curling a low cross into a crowded penalty area, where Adolfo Valencia's header from just six yards out was saved by Gunn. The resulting rebound from Kreuzer came to nothing as he fired over the crossbar.

At the final whistle, Norwich were confirmed as the first club to defeat Munich in the Munich Olympic Stadium in European competition. In 2006 Bayern moved to the Allianz Arena, thus sealing this record.

Reaction and aftermath

When the final whistle blew, Walker gave his team hugs on the pitch, but warned them that they had "a tough game still to come at Carrow Road".[19] The British media were less guarded: "'Jerry sinks the Gerrys' was the inevitable headlined salute to Jerry Goss, Norwich's longest servant"[19]

Bayern Munich's defeat by Norwich was a shock result. Reflecting on the improbability of such a result, Four Four Two wrote, "The news that Norwich had gone 2-0 up in the Olympic Stadium seemed frankly surreal".[20]

The match has thus achieved considerable notability in the history of Norwich City F.C., described as "arguably their finest hour" by the BBC.[1] The Daily Telegraph called it "their finest performance",[21] while The Independent described it as "the pinnacle of Norwich City's history".[22] John Motson commented that the match marked "the rise of Norwich City from provincial respectability to European admiration. It was the refreshing impact of loyal, unsung players... that made City's continental capers so appealing".[23]

The return leg was played on the 3 November 1993. Ade Akinbiyi made his début in this game,[24] in front of a crowd of 28,829.[citation needed] Following an early goal by Adolfo Valencia that brought the aggregate score to 2–2,[2] Goss's second goal of the tie meant a 1–1 draw.[2] Norwich thus won the tie 3–2 on aggregate and qualified to face Inter Milan in the third round.[25] Inter beat Norwich 2–0 and went on to win the tournament.[25] Norwich went on to be relegated from the English Premier League the following season,[6] and, to-date, Norwich have not qualified to play in European competition again.[6] In contrast, Munich won the German championship again that season,[26] and have subsequently won two UEFA competitions, including the Champions League in 2001.[27]

In 2008, a poll, conducted by Norwich City recognised Goss's first leg goal as the greatest Norwich goal of all time,[28] "a goal that is remembered up and down the country by football fans". More than 3,000 fans voted in "Norwich City FC's Greatest Ever".[28]

Match facts

Bayern Munich1–2Norwich City
Nerlinger 40' Goss 12'
Bowen 29'
Attendance: 28,500
Bayern Munich
Norwich City
Germany
Home team
GK 1 Germany Raimond Aumann
RWB 2 Brazil Jorginho
LWB 3 Germany Christian Ziege downward-facing red arrow 60'
CB 4 Germany Oliver Kreuzer
CB 5 Germany Thomas Helmer
CM 6 Germany Christian Nerlinger
CM 7 Netherlands Jan Wouters
CF 8 Germany Marcel Witeczek
CF 9 Colombia Adolfo Valencia
SW 10 Germany Lothar Matthäus (c)
AM 11 Germany Mehmet Scholl downward-facing red arrow 64'
Substitutes
MF ' Germany Michael Sternkopf upward-facing green arrow 60'
FW ' Germany Bruno Labbadia upward-facing green arrow 64'
Manager
Germany Erich Ribbeck
England
Away team
GK 1 Scotland Bryan Gunn
RB 2 England Ian Culverhouse
LB 3 Wales Mark Bowen
CB 4 England Ian Butterworth
CB 5 England Spencer Prior
CM 6 England Rob Newman
LM 7 England Mark Robins downward-facing red arrow 26'
CF 8 England Ian Crook
RM 9 England Chris Sutton
CB 10 Montserrat Ruel Fox
CM 11 Wales Jeremy Goss
Substitutes
MF 14 England Daryl Sutch upward-facing green arrow 26'
Manager
Wales Mike Walker

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Goss recalls Canaries' finest hour". BBC Sport. 18 April 2001. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
  2. ^ a b c Haylett, Trevor (11/4/1993). "Goss gloss on Norwich glory". London: The Independent. Retrieved 13 November 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Haylett, Trevor (5/23/1999). "Bavarian Goss finish still shines brightly". The Independent. London. Retrieved 13 November 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Norwich City | Club | History | History | CLUB HISTORY - 1986 to 1995". Canaries.premiumtv.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  5. ^ "The record: England v Bayern Munich". BBC Sport. 19 May 1999.
  6. ^ a b c d Norwich City Football Club History Database
  7. ^ "Norwich drop down to League One". BBC Sport. 2009-05-03. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  8. ^ "Sport in my World: Delia Smith", Oliver Brown, The Daily Telegraph, 15 September 2006
  9. ^ "FC Bayern München". FIFA. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  10. ^ "Championships including autumn championships–Bundesliga". www.bundesliga.com. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  11. ^ a b "Klubstatistik". FC Bayern. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  12. ^ "Bayern hope for home comforts". uefa.com. 12 April 2005. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  13. ^ a b c d Martin Samuel (20 February 2008). "Why armchair fans can no longer be turned on by tales of the unexpected". London: The Times. Retrieved 20 February 2008.
  14. ^ a b "Into Europe. Munich: As good as it gets". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
  15. ^ "Lothar Matthaus". FIFA. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  16. ^ Wright, Chris (2009-12-01). "Argentina and Barcelona player Lionel Messi wins Ballon d'Or". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  17. ^ "Matthaus up for a challenge". FIFA. 2009-06-15. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  18. ^ Haylett, Trevor (1993-10-19). "Football: Norwich refuse to adopt inferiority complex". The Independent. London. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  19. ^ a b c Haylett, Trevor (21 October 1993). "Goss appreciates a moment of history: Trevor Haylett on the tactics that helped Norwich to a famous victory in Munich's Olympic Stadium". London: The Independent. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  20. ^ The Games of our Lives, The 100 Greatest Matches Ever Played, Four Four Two, written by Jim Drewitt and Alex Leith, February 1996
  21. ^ "Canaries aim high in top flight", Duncan White, The Daily Telegraph, 8 August 2004
  22. ^ "Football: Canaries show they are back on song", Steve Tongue, The Independent, 24 September 2002
  23. ^ "Into Europe". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
  24. ^ "On the Spot: Ade Akinbiyi", Henry Winter, The Daily Telegraph, 2 November 2001
  25. ^ a b "UEFA Europa League". Uefa.com. 1994-06-01. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  26. ^ (West) Germany - List of Champions RSSSF
  27. ^ FC Bayern München UEFA
  28. ^ a b "Norwich City FC's Greatest Ever Unveiled". 9 June 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2009.

External links

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