Borussia
Mönchengladbach and Dynamo Kiev were paired in the Semifinals of the 1976/77
Champions Cup.
The
West German powerhouse Borussia Mönchengladbach, managed by the former Bayern
Munich Boss Udo Latteck, were then of the best squads in Europe and were on
their way in clinching their Third straight Bundesliga Title (their fifth in
eight seasons).
The
squad was led by Berti Vogts, The Terrier, and contained Danish superstar Allan
Simonsen, as well West German Internationals such as Uli Stielike, Rainer
Bonhof and Wimmer.
They
had qualified from their opening Rounds by defeating Austria’s FK Austria
Vienna (0-1, 3-0), Italy’s Torino (2-1 away, 0-0) and Belgium’s Club Brugge
(2-2 home, 1-0 away).
The
Soviets of Dynamo Kiev were led by the legendary and revolutionary Valeri
Lobanovsky who would go on and train future generations of Dynamo Kiev squads
in the next two decades, as well as the USSR national team.
The
team’s star was Oleg Blokhin the 1975 Ballon d’Or winner.
The
team contained virtually all Internationals, such as Burjak, Konkov, Muntyan
and Onischenko.
They
had qualified from their opening Rounds by defeating Yugoslvia’s Partizan
Belgrade (3-0, 2-0) and Greece’s PAOK (4-0, 2-0).
In
the Quarterfinals, they had eliminated West Germany’s Bayern Munich of Franz
Beckenbauer (0-1, 2-0). The defending Champions Bayern had won the trophy for
three consecutive years.
The
first leg, on April 6th, was played at Kiev’s Central Stadium.
The
collective game of Kiev, though successful in the recent years, was now being
criticized as too predictable.
The
focus of attention was the duel between Blokhin and Vogts.
Kiev
needing to win at home, attacked from the start. But despite dominating, they
did not actually create many clear-cut chances.
 |
Photo From: Onze, Issue 16, April 1977
(The two teams
entering the field, April 6, 1977, Champions Cup, Dynamo Kiev 1- Borussia Mönchengladbach 0) |
For
the Germans, Simonsen was impressive and worked very hard for his team. In
contrast, Wimmer and Heynckes (carrying a slight injury) had a difficult match
and did not have their usual output.
 |
Photo From: Onze, Issue 16, April 1977
(Troshkin, Fomienko
and Wimmer and Wolfgang Kneib making a
save, April 6, 1977, Champions Cup,
Dynamo Kiev 1-
Borussia Mönchengladbach 0) |
The
deadlock was only broken in the 71st minute. Burjak took a corner
from the left that was headed in by Onischenko.
Latteck
was furious on the sidelines for his team’s marking. He later stated that they
gave away an avoidable unnecessary goal by just standing by and watching.
 |
Photo From: Onze, Issue 16, April 1977
(Oleg Blokhin and Berti Vogts, April 6, 1977,
Champions Cup, Dynamo Kiev 1- Borussia Mönchengladbach 0)
|
He
was also angry about the extent of fouls committed by the Soviets, especially
on Bonhof.
Despite
the victory, Lobanovsky was also said to furious with his squad after the
match. He believed they had squandered chances to score more than one goal.
 |
Photo From: Mondial, Old Series, Issue 3, April 1977
(April 6, 1977,
Champions Cup, Dynamo Kiev 1-
Borussia Mönchengladbach 0) |
 |
Photo From: Onze, Issue 16, April 1977
(Oleg Blokhin taking a
shot, April 6, 1977, Champions Cup, Dynamo Kiev 1- Borussia Mönchengladbach 0) |
Because
of the slim lead, many believed Mönchengladbach had a very good chance to
clinch qualification on home soil.
Latteck
seemed confident and remarked that Kiev goalkeeper Rudakov had problems with
crosses from the wings as well as long distance shots.
 |
Photo From: Mondial, Old Series, Issue 3, April 1977
(April 6, 1977,
Champions Cup, Dynamo Kiev 1-
Borussia Mönchengladbach 0) |
April 6, 1977
Dynamo
Kiev (USSR) 1- Borussia Verein für Leibesübungen 1900 e.V. Mönchengladbach (West Germany) 0
Champions
Cup- Semifinals, First Leg
Venue: Kiev - Central
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Pablo Sanchez Ibanez
(Spain)
Goalscorers: (Dynamo Kiev): Vladimir
Ivanovich Onischenko 71st
(Mönchengladbach): None
Lineups:
Dynamo
Kiev:
1-Evgeny Vasilyevich Rudakov, 6-Vladimir Nikolaevich
Troshkin,
4-Mikhail Ivanovich Fomenko, 5-Stefan
Mihaylovich Reshko, 3-Viktor Antonovich Matvienko, 7-Vladimir Fedorovich
Muntyan, 2-Anatoly Dmitrievich Konkov, 9-Leonid Iosifovich Burjak , 10-Aleksandr Andriyevich Berezhnoy (14-Petro
Petrovych Slobodyan 64), 8-Vladimir Ivanovich Onischenko, 11-Oleg Vladimirovich Blokhin
Coach:
Valeri Vasiliyevich Lobanovsky
Booked:
Mikhail Ivanovich Fomenko 42
Team
Captain: Anatoly
Dmitrievich Konkov
Official
Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas
Shirt
Sponsor: None
Uniform
Colors: White Shirts , White Shorts, White Socks
Mönchengladbach:
1-Wolfgang
Kneib, 2-Hans-Hubert ‘Berti’ Vogts, 5-Rainer Bonhof, 4-Hans-Jurgen Wittkamp,
3-Hans Klinkhammer, 8-Herbert Wimmer, 9-Christian Kulik, 6-Horst Wohlers,
10-Ulrich Stielike, 7-Allan Simonsen (Denmark), 11-Josef ‘Jupp’ Heynckes
Coach:
Udo Latteck
Booked:
Hans-Hubert ‘Berti’ Vogts
Team
Captain: Hans-Hubert ‘Berti’ Vogts
Official
Kit Supplier/Designer: Puma
Shirt
Sponsor: None (though Erdgas were their shirt sponsors)
Uniform
Colors: Light Blue Shirts, Black Shorts, Blue Socks
The
second leg, on April 20th, was played at Düsseldorf’s
Rheinstadion. Borussia chose the venue instead of their home venue of
Bokelberg, because of its superior capacity.
Mönchengladbach
could not call upon Heynckes, who was not only injured but also ill. Similarly,
Dietmar Danner bowed out due to illness.
Heidenreich
replaced Heynckes in the Borussia squad; otherwise the squad was unchanged from
the first leg.
 |
Photo From: Mondial, Old Series, Issue
4, May 1977
(Allan Simonsen and
Leonid Burjak, April 20, 1977, Champions Cup, Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-Dynamo Kiev 0) |
Borussia also had to be cautious as Vogts, Wohlers,
and Heidenreich were under threat of another yellow card suspension.
For the Soviets, Valeriy Zuyev started in place of Vladimir Muntyan.
 |
Photo From: Mondial, Old Series, Issue
4, May 1977
(Berti Vogts and Oleg
Blokhin, April 20, 1977, Champions Cup, Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-Dynamo Kiev 0) |
Vogts,
once again, had the task of supervising
Blokhin. He considered it the hardest challenge of his career. Many German
journalists likened it to the Ali and Frazier duels.
Naturally, Borussia took the initiative to overcome
the deficit. Rainer Bonhof stood out for Mönchengladbach, with Burjak in charge of
neutralizing him.
 |
Photo From: France Football, Issue 1620,
April 26, 1977
(Simonsen’s shot that led to the penalty kick, April 20, 1977, Champions Cup, Borussia
Mönchengladbach 2-Dynamo Kiev 0) |
 |
Photo From: Mondial, Old Series, Issue
4, May 1977
(April 20, 1977,
Champions Cup, Borussia
Mönchengladbach 2-Dynamo Kiev 0) |
Borussia
took the lead in the 21st minute. In a goalmouth scramble, Simonsen
took a shot that was headed for goal. Matvienko stopped with his hand the goal
bound shot. Bonhof scored from the spot.
 |
Photo From: L'Annee du Football 1977
(Bonhof’s opener, April 20, 1977, Champions Cup, Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-Dynamo Kiev 0)
|
Up
to this point, Kiev were not in the game and were struggling. Early in the
second half, Lobanovsky replaced Zuyev with Muntyan.
Muntyan’s
entry galvanized the Kiev side and they started applying more pressure from
then on.
 |
Photo From: Onze, Issue 17, May 1977
(Berti Vogts, April 20, 1977, Champions Cup, Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-Dynamo Kiev 0) |
 |
Photo From: Onze, Issue 17, May 1977
(Wittkamp’s
winner, April 20, 1977, Champions Cup, Borussia
Mönchengladbach 2-Dynamo Kiev 0)
|
The
match seemed to be headed for overtime when with less than ten minutes left,
Borussia were awarded a free kick.
Bonhof
lined up to take the kick and everyone expected a powerful shot.
Instead
Bonhof delicately chipped the free kick over the wall, for Wittkamp to rush in
and shoot on goal.
 |
Photo From: France Football, Issue 1620,
April 26, 1977
(Bonhof between Troshkin and Fomienko, April 20, 1977, Champions Cup, Borussia
Mönchengladbach 2-Dynamo Kiev 0) |
The
shot was blocked by Matvienko’s shoulder, Wimmer immediately crossed the loose
ball from the right side and Wittkamp headed it in and gave Borussia the lead.
Borussia
held on and qualified for the Final.
 |
Photo From: France Football, Issue 1620,
April 26, 1977
(Heidenreich, April 20, 1977, Champions Cup, Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-Dynamo Kiev 0) |
In
the Final, Liverpool was one hurdle too many and the Germans were soundly
beaten in Rome (1-3), as Vogts was unable to control Kevin Keegan like Blokhin.
They
did manage to win the Bundesliga title (their last one to date) at the end of
the season.
Allan
Simonsen’s displays that year, earned him the Ballon d’Or at the end the
calendar year.
April 20, 1977
Borussia
Verein für Leibesübungen 1900 e.V. Mönchengladbach (West Germany) 2-Dynamo Kiev (USSR) 0
Champions
Cup- Semifinals, Second Leg
Venue: Düsseldorf- Rheinstadion
Attendance: 68,000
Referee: Francis Rion (Belgium)
Goalscorers: (Mönchengladbach): Rainer
Bonhof 21st pen, Wittkamp 82nd
(Dynamo Kiev): None
Lineups:
Mönchengladbach:
1-Wolfgang
Kneib, 2-Hans-Hubert ‘Berti’ Vogts, 5-Rainer Bonhof, 4-Hans-Jurgen Wittkamp,
3-Hans Klinkhammer, 8-Herbert Wimmer, 9-Christian Kulik, 6-Horst Wohlers,
10-Ulrich Stielike (12-Wilfried Hannes 78th) , 7-Allan Simonsen
(Denmark), 11-Herbert Heidenreich
Coach:
Udo Latteck
Team
Captain: Hans-Hubert ‘Berti’ Vogts
Official
Kit Supplier/Designer: Puma
Shirt
Sponsor: None (though Erdgas were their shirt sponsors)
Uniform
Colors: White Shirts, White Shorts, White Socks
Dynamo
Kiev:
1-Evgeny Vasilyevich Rudakov, 7-Valeriy Leonidovych
Zuyev (14-Vladimir Fedorovich Muntyan 54th), 6-Vladimir Nikolaevich Troshkin, 4-Mikhail Ivanovich
Fomenko, 5-Stefan Mihaylovich Reshko, 3-Viktor Antonovich Matvienko, 2-Anatoly Dmitrievich Konkov, 9-Leonid Iosifovich Burjak , 10-Aleksandr Andriyevich Berezhnoy , 8-Vladimir
Ivanovich Onischenko, 11-Oleg Vladimirovich Blokhin
Coach:
Valeri Vasiliyevich Lobanovsky
Booked:
Anatoly
Dmitrievich Konkov 37th
Team
Captain: Anatoly
Dmitrievich Konkov
Official
Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas
Shirt
Sponsor: None
Uniform
Colors: Blue Shirts , White Shorts, Blue Socks
