If we wanted to be mean, we'd claim we got the reflections on the following historic events from well-informed old-timers. But anyone who meets Lothar Huber can only marvel at the physical and mental vitality of the now 74-year-old BVB legend. And so the memories of HSV's legendary visit in January 1977 just come pouring out of him. No wonder, since with an own goal, an assist and a goal, he was one of the main protagonists of this memorable match. "It was a game where you could feel that anything might happen at any moment, and of course the fans loved that."
From 1974 to 1986, the right-back earned cult status around the old Westfalenstadion in the black-and-yellow shirt. With 372 competitive appearances for Borussia Dortmund, he is still ranked in the top ten of BVB's all-time records. He won promotion with BVB from the second division to the Bundesliga, captained our Borussia there for several years and was the model of reliability.
Remarkable, too, is the fact that as a defender he was never sent off a single time in his entire career. Between 1974 and 1979, he played 177 consecutive matches for BVB – an extraordinary run for an outfield player that would be almost unimaginable today in an era of rotation and periodization. It was also during this period that unforgettable game against the Red Shorts took place, setting a record in Bundesliga history that remains unique to this day.
We're talking about the opening match of the second half of the 1976/77 season. As a newly promoted side, Borussia Dortmund had already made a statement on the opening matchday of their Bundesliga return with a 4-3 win away to reigning runners-up Hamburger SV. Then came the return fixture in Dortmund on 15 January 1977. "Compared to today's carpet-like pitches, we were almost playing HSV on a field back then, and it still turned into such an outstanding game," Huber recalls. "Otto Rehhagel never really focused on other teams, he always told us: We are good, and we can beat anyone, even as a promoted team. And that's exactly what we tried to put into practice."
But in the ninth minute it is initially the brilliant Hamburg player Manfred "Manni" Kaltz who, down the right flank, sets up the visitors' opener with a cross for Willi Reimann. "Our style of play back then was always very enthusiastic going forward, which is why we also kept conceding goals on the counter," says Huber. The 42,000 spectators in the not sold-out Westfalenstadion then witness six crazy minutes: first Manni Burgsmüller does what he always did best – being sly. When HSV keeper Kovacic spills a Lippens header in the 20th minute, he is right there to poke in the rebound for 1-1. "Manni just had that instinct for situations like that." The goal celebration has barely died down when BVB are behind again. Once more, one of those legendary banana crosses from Manni Kaltz proves unstoppable. This time Steffenhagen is the beneficiary with a header. "I really gave the lads a telling-off and asked them how on earth he could be standing there completely unmarked." But practically straight from the restart, Peter Geyer converts a corner directly to make it 2-2 for our Black-and-Yellows.
Less than a minute later, Lothar Huber scores an own goal of the highest order. Volkert gets the ball on the penalty spot and squares it to Bertl, but then Lothar Huber comes charging in from behind, gets to the ball before Bertl, tries to clear it for a corner and instead hammers it past the bewildered Horst Bertram into the near corner. "What a goal! I was completely surprised myself, but there was nothing to be done about it anymore. Unfortunately it looked really stupid, and after the game I had to put up with quite a few comments." That made it 2-3 going into the dressing room. But there was no sign of a bad mood. "We were also lucky to have the stadium that had been built for the 1974 World Cup. That was naturally a huge asset and gave us extra motivation. We had a team with incredible character, great camaraderie and a coach who always let us go full throttle."
In the 56th minute, Huber swings a free-kick from the right high into the penalty area. After an aerial duel, the ball drops in the six-yard box to whose feet? That's right – Manni Burgsmüller taps in the rebound for 3-3. The stadium is still announcing and celebrating the equalizer when, once again, Manni Kaltz has all the time in the world to cross from the right wing, and in the middle Bertl finishes a headed knockdown to make it 3-4. Who knows how many international caps Lothar Huber might have earned in his outstanding career as a right-back if Kaltz hadn't been around. As it was, he only made a few appearances for the West German Olympic team. Both also rank among the most reliable penalty takers in Bundesliga history. Kaltz converted 53 of his 60 (!) Bundesliga penalties. Lothar Huber, for his part, scored 32 of his 39 for Borussia Dortmund in the first and second divisions. One of them came in this crazy game against Hamburg.
"After the match, we were full of emotion and proud of that performance against such a strong opponent." – Lothar Huber
In the 85th minute, BVB are awarded a penalty after Kovacic fouls Meyer. A huge pressure moment shortly before full-time. "I didn't have a fixed routine. I always decided on a corner at the last moment when I had the ball in my hand, and then I shot there with complete conviction." No run-up with hops, pirouettes and changes of pace – just full blast. This time low to the right. Unstoppable. "Most of the time it worked. I missed one or two as well, but in that game it mattered especially to me because I had scored that own goal and I didn't want to be the loser in the end."
What nobody suspected back then, and very few know even today – in this match BVB set a Bundesliga record that still stands: never before, and never since, has a team come back from behind four times in a single game! Unique in what is now 19,220 matches! Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga's champions of mentality! "We weren't really aware of that at the time. And in the end we almost even put the crown on it all and won." In the final minute, Erwin Kostedde heads the ball against the inside of the post, from where it rebounds off the arm of the astonished Kovacic on the line and back into play instead of into the net for 5-4. But even so, it was a match for the ages. "After the match, we were full of emotion and proud of that performance against such a strong opponent."
Four months later, HSV win the European Cup Winners' Cup. Memories of that game return 26 years later – on Matchday 11 of the 2003/04 season. But by then, the situation has changed. This time BVB, the 2002 German champions, are clear favorites in fourth place against Hamburger SV, who have just nine points from ten games. Our Borussia's left-back at the time: Niclas Jensen, who had joined the Black-and-Yellows from Manchester City at the start of the season. Now 52, the Dane also looks back: "Psychologically, the situation was crystal clear. A team like BVB has to win every home game at Signal Iduna Park. Whether it's against Bayern, Leverkusen, HSV or Bochum doesn't matter. In your head, it's clear: you have to win at home, every single time."
But: BVB never really get into the game and once again have to prove themselves comeback masters – this time in a very different way: at half-time, Matthias Sammer's side are fully deservedly 0-1 down after a dreadful, uninspired performance. Jensen: "Of course he was angry and raised his voice. But he was analytical right away too: What's the problem? Do we maybe need to switch things around? And use the wings more?"
After an hour, Romeo scores to make it 0-2 against a BVB side that seem completely out of ideas that day, effectively pulling the plug on the game. Sammer looks as though he urgently needs to breathe into a paper bag. "Mentally, it was a brutal blow. At first it was really hard to even convince yourself that we could still win that day." So they desperately needed a spark – and quickly. It is Niclas Jensen himself who provides it just three minutes later with a cross to Jan Koller. "His headers, even with his back to goal – world class." With the 1-2, Koller breathes life back into the match. "That completely flips everything in your head again. Then you say: Okay, now we're still going to win this. That's why football fascinates everyone everywhere. Because things can change in every direction so quickly."
"What can happen with sudden euphoria!" – Niclas Jensen
Just three more minutes later, Ujfalusi fouls Fernandez – penalty, and Koller grabs the ball. "It's important for a striker to score goals and gain confidence. It doesn't matter whether it comes from open play or from the penalty spot." Koller converts, and by the time it's 2-2, the previously rather grumbling stadium is fully awake. Lars Ricken has not had much go right for him in this match so far. But three minutes after the equalizer, he brilliantly picks out Ewerthon. The Brazilian completes the turnaround with the 3-2. "That's when the atmosphere in the stadium exploded." Borussia Dortmund end up winning 3-2 in a game where, after 60 minutes, you could have bet a kilo-heavy lump of osmium on the opposite outcome. "What can happen with sudden euphoria! Of course it was still only three points. Whether you turn a game like that around or beat Bochum 1-0, it's still three points – but psychologically it was a huge boost."
