Remembering a record win
29 April was the 40th anniversary of the Bundesliga’s highest ever score. On that day in 1978, Borussia Mönchengladbach, champions for the previous three years, defeated Borussia Dortmund 12:0 on the final day of the season, but missed winning a fourth title by three goals.
Title-winning form
Mönchengladbach had started the 1977/78 season poorly and after 11 games were languishing in 11th position. But a fantastic 7 game undefeated run and a strong start after the winter break put Gladbach back on track. In the second half of the season, Borussia dropped only eight points, scoring 47 and conceding 17 goals. In any other season, this would have brought a fourth successive championship title to Mönchengladbach.
A close finish
Unfortunately, neighbours and arch-rivals 1. FC Köln were also having one of their best seasons ever, playing inspiring and entertaining football and winning game after game.
As they went into the last matchday Köln and Borussia jointly led the Bundesliga on points, but Köln, with a better goal difference, looked more likely to clinch the title. And to make matters worse, while Borussia faced Borussia Dortmund away, Köln were up against already relegated St. Pauli.
A new record
What happened at Dortmund on that day is hard to believe. Heynckes, playing his last game for the foals, scored in the 1st and 12th minutes and by halftime, Borussia were leading 6:0. The final score was 12:0, with five goals from Heynckes, two each from Nielsen and De l’Haye, and one apiece from Wimmer, Lienen and Kulik. This remains the biggest victory margin ever in the Bundesliga. Surely it was enough to even out the goal difference with Köln?
Unfortunately not. Cheered on by their own and the opposing fans, Köln put five goals past St. Pauli and ended the season with a slightly better goal difference. Both teams had scored 86 goals, but Borussia had conceded 3 more than Köln, who therefore emerged as winners.
To make matters worse, the Köln coach that season was none other than Hennes Weisweiler, who had until recently been leading Borussia to glory at home and abroad.
Find out more about Borussia Mönchengladbach and German football.
