Bernard Dietz ~ The man who shot down Bayern

[Freddy Adu]

The man who shot down Bayern

Not many people have scored four games in one match against FC Bayern: Bernard Dietz, nicknamed "Ennatz", is one of that rare breed!

Now a 59-year-old, Dietz still can't get enough of football. After an illustrious playing career and coaching posts with Bochum and Duisburg, Dietz now runs a football school for kids aged between six and 14 years.

Dietz once skippered Germany to triumph in the 1980 European Championships, but his many fans all like to recall that fateful day in 1977, when the defender's goal scoring antics hit the headlines.

Opening goal

"It was in November 1977. Duisburg weren't having a good season and in the 1970's, FC Bayern were one of the best teams around. Back then, Otto Knefler was our coach, and I scored the opening goal", Dietz recalls.

Dietz opened the scoring after 20 minutes of play in the Wedaustadion. Sepp Maier, the legendary German national goalkeeper, was beaten for the first time that day.

2-1 down

But just four minutes later, Rainer Künkel leveled the game, and Gerd Müller made it 2-1 to Bayern before the break, seemingly putting Bayern on the road to victory.

"Bayern were 2-1 up, and the fans were getting restless. Some were even booing us", Dietz remembers.

Three second-half goals

But those spectators were soon silenced after the break when Dietz equalised. Duisburg went behind again, but Dietz was simply unstoppable. The "Zebras" captain's third and fourth goals handed Duisburg a memorable win.

"We ended up winning 6-3, and I had scored four against Bayern! That was sensational!" Come the final whistle, 20,000 fans celebrated their heroes after a legendary match.

Great record against Bayern

Amazingly, Duisburg's 6-3 win wasn't a fluke. Back then, the "Zebras” were very much Bayern's "bogey team”.

"Curiously enough, in my twelve years at Duisburg, between 1970 and 1982, we only lost twice at home to Bayern. We drew once and beat them eight times", Dietz proudly says.

394 Bundesliga games

Bernard Dietz played 394 Bundesliga games for Duisburg, scoring 70 goals. Unsurprisingly, many fans nicknamed the club "MSV Dietzburg”!

His four goals against mighty Bayern ensured that he'll always be one of the "Zebras” greatest ever icons.