Duesseldorf ’81 — Scintilating Cup Final Nobody Saw

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Enterprising veteran midfielder GERHARD HOPPE (# 3 in white, center) of G.D.R. outfit FC CARL ZEISS JENA hammers a stunning side-footed shot on target opposite U.S.S.R. side Dinamo Tbilisi during the exciting 1981 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Final match at the near-empty Rhinestadion in Duesseldorf, West Germany.
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The all-Eastern Bloc final featuring Georgian club DINAMO TBILISI of the Soviet Union and East German outfit FC CARL ZEISS JENA manifested an epic disaster of historic proportions for the box office gate but the football, itself, delivered what turned out to be a delightfully entertaining second half if seen by not very many.

But not before the 1981 UEFA CUP WINNERS’ CUP FINAL, which was contested at the Rheinstadion in Duesseldorf, West Germany, established what will forever be the all-time mark for meager attendance. An eye-opening, official figure of only 4,750 fans barely even began to fill the facility by the famous Rhine River which had a capacity for 76,000 at that time. Of course, the harsh reality that travel for ordinary citizens in both the Deutsche Demokratische Republik and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was heavily restricted during this time period had a tremendous impact.

In addition, the closed-nature of the Warsaw Pact societies ensured that football fans in Western Europe were not very familiar with Eastern European star players. This, not surprisingly, also exacted its expected toll on ticket sales for the match in Duesseldorf. Interesting enough, Dinamo Tbilisi, indeed, were fielding three of the last four Soviet Footballers of the Year — David Kipiani, Ramaz Shengelia, Aleksandr Chivadze — while FC Carl Zeiss Jena featured the reigning East German Footballer of the Year in Hans-Ulrich Grapenthin at the Rheinstadion.

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After a scoreless first half, FC Carl Zeiss Jena jumped to the lead in the 63rd minute after a very attractive build-up which began in its own defensive third. The movement featured seven astute passes before a most effective cross was put over by aging 38-year-old striker EBERHARD VOGEL, the second-leading goal-scorer in the entire history of the East German national team. 30-year-old veteran midfielder GERHARD HOPPE, who never appeared with the senior national team of of the D.D.R., raced onto the ball after it had bounced into the box and struck a stunning side volley with the outside of his right foot.

Dinamo Tbilisi did not stay down for long, however, and equalized less than five minutes later. Would-be U.S.S.R. World Cup striker RAMAZ SHENGELIA, a two-time Soviet Footballer of the Year who scored four goals for the Georgian side during the 1980-81 campaign in Europe, ran straight at the FC Carl Zeiss Jena defense before releasing U.S.S.R. international midfielder VLADIMIR GUTSAEV on the right. The 28-year-old, who would later in life become a member of the Parliament of a free and independent Georgia, made no mistake and shot past East Germany international goalkeeper HANS-ULRICH GRAPENTHIN low to the short side in the 67th minute.

In doing so, Gutsaev pulled level with Shengelia for the club lead with four goals in Europe that year; with less than five minutes remaining, a masterful moment of individual brilliance produced a memorable match-winner completely worthy of a Cup Final.

Soviet international VITALY DARASELIA of Dinamo Tbilisi accepted a ball in midfield on the left and also ran straight at the heart of the FC Carl Zeiss Jena. The 23-year-old left midfielder dribbled into the box and beat two defenders, the second with a most sharp cut-back move. With a clear line of fire from about ten yards out or so, the youngster smashed a low shot with the outside of his left foot just inside Grapenthin’s right hand post.

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The match-winning goal for Dinamo Tbilisi at the 1981 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Final in Duesseldorf proved to be the high point in the short-lived football career of U.S.S.R. international VITAL DARASELIA (above); the left-sided midfielder, who appeared in four of the Soviet Union’s five matches at the FIFA World Cup in Spain, was killed in an automobile accident in December of 1982.

Ironically enough, fellow U.S.S.R. international DAVID KIPIANI — the 1976 Olympic bronze medalist who passed the ball to Daraselia and, thus, prompted the match-winning strike for Dinamo Tbilisi against FC Carl Zeiss Jena — also later perished in an automobile accident, although in 2001, many years after his career ended.

Dinamo Tbilisi v FC Carl Zeiss Jena, Circa 1981

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The triumphant Georgian side DINAMO TBILISI from the Soviet Union pose for the photographers with the coveted prize after conquering East German outfit Carl Zeiss Jena in the waning stages of the 1981 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Final at the virtually-empty Rhinestadion in Duesseldorf, West Germany.
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DINAMO TBILISI
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GK —- 1 — Otar GABELIA ———————— (Soviet Union : 1 cap)
DF —- 2 — Tamaz KOSTAVA ——————- (Soviet Union : 3 caps, 1 goal)
DF —- 3 — Aleksandr CHIVADZE ———— (Soviet Union : 46 caps, 3 goals)
DF —- 4 — Nodar KHIZANISHVILI ——— (Soviet Union : 1 cap)
DF —- 5 — Georgi TAVADZE
MF —- 6 — Vitaly DARASELIA —————- (Soviet Union : 22 caps, 3 goals)
MF —- 7 — Zaur SVANADZE
MF —- 8 — Tengiz SULAKUELIDZE ——– (Soviet Union : 49 caps, 2 goals)
MF —- 9 — Vladimir GUTSAEV ————— (Soviet Union : 11 caps, 1 goal)
FW – 10 — David KIPIANI ———————- (Soviet Union : 19 caps, 7 goals)
FW – 11 — Ramaz SHENGELIA ————— (Soviet Union : 26 caps, 10 goals)

substitutes
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MF – 13 — Nugzar KAKILASHVILI
for Svanadze (67th min)

Four players from the starting XI of DINAMO TBILISI — Chivadze, Sulakvelidze, Daraselia and Shengelia — were regular contributors for the U.S.S.R. national team at the 1982 FIFA World Cup final tournament in Spain. Both the defender Chivadze, the 1980 Soviet Footballer of the Year, and the striker Shengelia, the 1978 and 1981 Soviet Footballer of Year, appeared in every match at Espana ’82 for the Soviet Union, who were edged out for a place in the semi-finals by Poland on goal-differential. Chivadze, who, like Shengelia, scored a goal for the Soviets in the match versus Scotland, served as the U.S.S.R. team captain.

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With the Deutsche Demokratische Republik domestic cup won the previous spring prominently displayed up front, FC CARL ZEISS JENA arrange themselves for the team photograph just prior to the start of what would be a very successful 1980-81 football season for the club from Thuringia.
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CARL ZEISS JENA
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GK —- 1 — Hans Ulrich GRAPENTHIN ——— (East Germany : 21 caps)
SW — 6 — Ruediger SCHNUPHASE ————– (East Germany : 45 caps, 6 goals)
DF —- 2 — Gerd BRAUER —————————— (East Germany : 4 caps, 0 goals)
DF —- 5 — Lothar KURBJUWEIT —————– (East Germany : 59 caps, 3 goals)
DF —- 4 — Wolfgang SCHILLING
MF —- 3 — Gerhard HOPPE
MF —- 7 — Andreas KRAUSE ———————– (East Germany : 4 caps, 2 goals)
MF —- 8 — Lutz LINDEMANN
FW —- 9 — Andreas BIELAU ———————— (East Germany : 9 caps, 0 goals)
FW – 10 — Juergen RAAB —————————- (East Germany : 20 caps, 2 goals)
FW – 11 — Eberhard VOGEL ———————— (East Germany : 69 caps, 24 goals)

substitutes
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MF – 15 — Thomas TOEPFER
for Bielau (74th min)
MF – 13 — Ulrich OEVERMANN
for Hoppe (89th min)

FC CARL ZEISS JENA, had to contest the 1981 Cup Winners’ Cup Final against Dinamo Tbilisi in Duesseldorf without highly-experienced veteran defender KONRAD WEISE, the 1974 World Cup stalwart and 1976 Olympic gold medalist who stands fourth on the all-time list with 78 full international caps for East Germany.

In the first round, the Thuringia club courageously overturned a 0-3 defecit from the first leg in Italy and defeated Serie A side AS Roma 4-0 at home to book its passage into the next stage; FC Carl Zeiss Jena, backstopped by D.D.R. international Torhueter HANS-ULRICH GRAPENTHIN — the East German Footballer of the Year in 1980 and 1981 — also claimed the scalp of Spanish La Liga side CF Valencia as well as Portuguese giant SL Benfica of Lisbon along the way to the Final in Duesseldorf.

FC Carl Zeiss Jena

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April 13, 1974 — FC CARL ZEISS JENA captain and striker PETER DUCKE, who paced the Thuringian club with five goals in six UEFA European Cup games and was named the German Democratic Republic’s Footballer of the Year for the 1970-71 season, hoists the German Free Trade Union Cup following the 3-1 defeat of Dynamo Dresden at the massive Zentralstadion in Leipzig.
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Although plaqued by financial difficulties the past few years and currently limping along following a 15th place finish in the German 3rd division last season, the fact remains FC CARL ZEISS JENA were once a very formidable side in the old Oberliga of the now-defunct Deutsche Demokratische Republik and a regular participant in Europe capable of competing with — and conquering — some of the continent’s most well-known teams such as Portugal’s Benfica of Lisbon, CF Valencia of Spain as well as Italian Serie A squad AS Roma.

The most glorious time for FC Carl Zeiss Jena would be the highly-successful stretch from 1963 to 1975 which saw the Thruingian team (known as SC Motor Jena until 1966) capture three Oberliga titles and finish in second place on a further six occasions.

FC Carl Zeiss Jena also claimed the Frei Deutsche Gewerkschaftsbund Pokal (Free German Trade Union Cup) four times including a haul of three trophies in a nine-year stint from 1972 to 1980; perhaps most significantly, the East German club took part in European competitions 15 of 16 years thru the end of the 1983-84 football season.

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The squad of FC CARL ZEISS JENA pose for a photograph with the medals earned for having won the 1969-70 Oberliga title; this picutre marks the last time, in fact, the Thuringian club would ever win the elite football championship of the old Deutsche Demokratische Republic.
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Some consider the crowning achievement of FC Carl Zeiss Jena to be its arrival at the 1981 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Final in Dusseldort, West Germany, although the D.D.R. kickers lost late 2-1 against Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi of the Soviet Union despite scoring first in the second half.

FC Carl Zeiss Jena did engage West German Bundesliga clubs twice in the UEFA Cup but lost after extra time to MSV Duisburg during the 1978-79 campaign and were beaten resoundly by Bayer Uerdingen during the 1986-87 season.

As one might expect, the Thuringian club contributed its share of players — 33 in all — to the national team of East Germany. Of the ten players with the most international caps in the history of the Deutsche Demokratische Republik, exactly half spent at least a little time with FC Carl Zeiss Jena at some point in their careers. Defender KONRAD WEISE, who was in the East German Startelf against West Germany at the 1974 FIFA World Cup and later won the Olympic gold medal at Montreal in 1976, played 78 games recognized by FIFA as full internationals for the D.D.R. and is, accordingly, the club’s most decorated Laenderspieler.

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Deutsche Demokratische Republik attacker PETER DUCKE of FC Carl Zeiss Jena, who collected a bronze medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Muinch and ultimately scored 15 goals in 68 full international matches over the course of his career for East Germany, steps around Holland defender WIM RIJSBERGEN of Feyenoord Rotterdam at the Parkstadion in Gelsenkirchen during the 1974 FIFA World Cup tournament in West Germany.
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Other accomplished internationals for FC Carl Zeiss Jena included striker EBERHARD VOGEL, the two-time Olympic bronze medalist and second-leading all-time scorer with 24 goals for Deutsche Demokratische Republik, as well as defender LOTHAR KURBJUWEIT, the two-time Olympic medalist who appeared with the East German Startelf against both West Germany at the 1974 FIFA World Cup and also for the 1976 Gold Medal Match with Poland in Montreal.