Bayern Munich v Norwich City
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The 1993–94 UEFA Cup match, on 20 October 1993, which finished Bayern Munich 1–2 Norwich City was a huge upset in European football primarily as it was the only defeat ever inflicted by a British club on Bayern Munich in their Olympic stadium.[1] The return leg was played on 3 November 1993 and was drawn 1–1 meaning that Norwich won the tie 3–2 on aggregate and went on to face Inter Milan in the third round.[2][3]
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[edit] Context
Bayern Munich's defeat in this leg was a shock. This was Norwich City's only European campaign, achieved by virtue of finishing in third place in the inaugural Premier League season, their highest-ever placing.
By contrast, Bayern were regular competitors in European competitions. The club had, at that stage, won four European trophies, as well as 12 German titles and a host of cups. Munich were to go on to win the Bundesliga once again that season. Norwich's victory was, by the time that Bayern Munich moved to a new stadium, the only win at the Olympic Stadium by a British team.
The apparent mismatch between the sides led to an expectation of an overwhelming Munich victory. In Times columnist Martin Samuel's opinion, "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."[4] According to Norwich midfielder, Jeremy Goss, before the match, "everyone around us was saying we would do well to keep it down to three or four nil."[5] John Motson commented on "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.”[6]
[edit] Reaction
The match is notable 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",[7] while The Independent described it as "the pinnacle of Norwich City's history".[8]
Reflecting on the scale of the shock result, Four Four Two wrote "The news that Norwich had gone 2-0 up in the Olympic Stadium seemed frankly surreal." [9]
[edit] Background
This match was part of Norwich City's great success in the early Nineties.[10] A second round first leg tie of the 1993–94 UEFA Cup, it took place at the Olympic Stadium in Munich on 20 October 1993.
Both sides wore their first-choice kits; Norwich City played in yellow shirts with green shorts, Bayern Munich were in their blue and red strip.
[edit] Match summary
In the days leading up to the match, Norwich manager, Mike Walker, remained resolutely optimitic; " 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."[4] Walker had focussed his attention on an unlikely weak link in Munich's team; Lothar Matthaus was the captain of Germany, a player with a distinguished pedigree in European football. Matthaus was operating for Munich as a sweeper; "with the bravado of a European novice it was Walker’s opinion that he wasn’t good enough. Delightfully, he was right."[4]
Some 12 minutes into the match Rob Newman's floated cross was headed away weakly by a back-pedalling 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.[5]m The result was "a screaming 20-yard volley" into the top left hand corner of the net.[4]
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 Aumann, giving Norwich a two goal lead. A shocked John Motson commented, "And Norwich are two up. This is almost fantasy football!".[11]
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 (and ultimately only) British club to defeat Bayern Munich in the Olympic Stadium in Munich. In 2006 Bayern moved to the Allianz Arena, thus sealing this record.
[edit] Match facts
| 1993-10-20 | Bayern Munich  |
1 – 2 |  Norwich City |
Olympiastadion, Munich Attendance: 28,500 |
Nerlinger  40' |
Goss 12' Bowen 29' |
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[edit] Second leg
The return leg was played on the 3 November 1993 and was drawn 1–1. This meant that Norwich won the tie 3–2 on aggregate and went on to face Inter Milan, who eliminated them, in the third round. Ade Akinbiyi made his début in this game.[12]
| 1993-11-03 | Norwich City |
1 – 1 | Bayern Munich |
Carrow Road, Norwich Attendance: 28,829 |
| Goss 51' |
Valencia 4' |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Goss recalls Canaries' finest hour. BBC Sport (2001-04-18). Retrieved on 2007-08-30.
- ^ "Norwich City - 1986-1995", 15 May 2007, Norwich City official site
- ^ "The record: England v Bayern Munich", BBC, 19 May 1999
- ^ a b c d Martin Samuel (2008-02-20). Why armchair fans can no longer be turned on by tales of the unexpected. The Times. Retrieved on 2008-02-20.
- ^ a b Into Europe. Munich: As good as it gets.. Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved on 2007-08-30.
- ^ Into Europe.. Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved on 2007-08-30.
- ^ "Canaries aim high in top flight", Duncan White, The Daily Telegraph, 8 August 2004
- ^ "Football: Canaries show they are back on song", Steve Tongue, The Independent, 24 September 2002
- ^ The Games of our Lives, The 100 Greatest Matches Ever Played, Four Four Two, written by Jim Drewitt and Alex Leith, February 1996
- ^ "Sport in my World: Delia Smith", Oliver Brown, The Daily Telegraph, 15 September 2006
- ^ BBC Match video
- ^ "On the Spot: Ade Akinbiyi", Henry Winter, The Daily Telegraph, 2 November 2001
