Bayern Munich Clobbers 1.FC Kaiserslautern In D.F.B. Pokal

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Switwerland international winger XHERDAN SHAQIRI of Bayern Munich looks to settle the ball before Greece international midfielder KOSTAS FORTOUNIS (28) of 1.FC Kaiserslautern can arrive and offer meaningful challenge during the second round Deutscher Fussball Bund Pokal match at the sold-out Allianz Arena in southern Germany.
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The second division guests hung in there throughout the first half despite having surrenedered an early goal, but another pair of strikes for the home side within a quarter hour after the restart effectively settled the tie as record German Cup winner BAYERN MUNICH blanked visiting 1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN 4-0 in the second round of the Deutscher Fussball Bund Pokal.

On the heels of a disappointing loss to Bayer Leverkusen just a few days earlier, trainer JUPP HEYNCKES fielded largely a reserve side for the Bavarians to face the incoming 2.Bundesliga club from Rhineland-Palatinate. Among other things, this meant a first start between the sticks this season for Bayern Munich’s second-string goalkeeper TOM STARKE. Another new-look, as well, featured versatile Spain international JAVIER MARTINEZ, who shattered the existing Bundesliga record earlier this season with his transfer from Spanish La Liga club Athletic Bilbao costing 40.0 million Euros, appearing in the center of defense.

1.FC Kaiserslautern, who have won two Bundesliga titles in the club’s history but still finished dead-last in the 18-team German top flight last term and were relegated as a result. Trainer FRANCO FODA’s side arrived in Bavaria for the D.F.B. Pokal match with Bayern Munich currently standing third in the 2.Bundesliga, ahead of Energie Cottbus on goal differential. 1.Kaiserslautern, to its dismay, would have to make due without its captain ALBERT BUNJAKU, the 28-year-old Switzerland international who was signed from 1.FC Nuremberg this summer and is, at present, second on the club with six goals scored in the second division this season.

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Goalkeeper TOM STARKE, the 31-year-old veteran who has been first chice in the Bundesliga for MSV Duisburg as well as TSG 1899 Hoffenheim previously in his career before signing with the Bavarians this summer on a free transfer, made his first competitive appearance for Bayern Munich in the D.F.B. Pokal match with visiting second division side 1.FC Kaiserslautern at the sold-out Allianz Arena.
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Bayern Munich began well enough when experienced reserve defensive midfielder ANATOLI TYMOSHCHUK, the 33-year-old who has made 123 international appearances (with four goals scored) and is the current national team captain of Ukraine, sent a spot-on ball down the right wing for Holland World Cup winger ARJEN ROBBEN. A quick pass from the Dangerous Dutchman released veteran Peru international striker CLADUIO PIZARRO and a smooth finish from the 34-year-old veteran vaulted the Bavarians to a 1-0 lead. A second goal on this 2012/13 campaign for the aging Pizarro, who netted Bayern Munich’s final goal in the 4-0 triumph over SSV Jahn Regensburg in the first round at the beginning of this term, as well.

A spirited 1.FC Kaiserslautern, to its credit, had a few opportunities to bring themselves level in the first half but were left with nothing to show for their labors. Cameroon international MOHAMMADOU IDRISSOU, the 32-year-old former Borussia Moenchengladbach striker who was signed from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer after scoring 14 goals in the 2.Bundesliga last term, had two particularlly good chances and, with the second, was only denied by an outstanding finger-tip save by Starke at full stretch. One-time Germany youth international STEVEN ZELLNER almost caught Starke napping but his low shot from outside the box hit the outside of the post and rebounded harmlessly.

Austria international DAVID ALABA, the versatile 20-year-old who is just returning from a lenghty injury spell and is still searching for his first goal of this 2012/13 football season, had two noteworthy efforts to get his name on the scoresheet. A free kick was turned away at the far post by 1.FC Kaisserslautern goalkeeper TOBIAS SIPPEL while a blast in the box from eight yards or so was also dealt with well enough by the visiting netminder, then. Seldom-used Brazil international fullback RAFINHA, who bagged a goal in the recent, record-setting 5-0 blow-out of Fortuna Duesseldorf, also went close for Bayern Munich in the opening forty-five minutes.

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The majority of Bayern Munich’s normal first team, including Germany first choice MANUEL NEUER (second from right), watch the second round Deutscher Fussball Bund Pokal match with visiting 2.Bundesliga side FC Kaiserslautern from the players’ bench at the sold-out Allianz Arena in Bavaria.
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The Bavarians came out firing on all cylinders after the halftime team talk and required less than four minutes to double its advantage. After a very poor defensive clearance (after another ball played by Tymoshchuk) on Kaiserslautern’s left which wound up in the center just outside the box, the highly-experienced Pizarro intelligently directed his header right into the path of an eager and on-rushing Robben. The grateful Dangerous Dutchman had no trouble smashing a left-footer past the helpless Sippel to score his very first goal proper for Bayern Munich in any competition this season.

(Robben had found the back of the net for the Bavarians during the 3-0 defeat of SpVgg Greuther Fuerth on the opening round of play in the Bundesliga this term, but not without the benefit of an inadvertant deflection from defender Thomas Kleine and the strike was subsequently ruled an own goal)

Just two minutes before the hour, the inspirational Pizarro rose in the area to head his second goal of the game on a set piece expertly delivered from the left wing by Switzerland international XHERDAN SHAQIRI, the 21-year-old, talented all-arounder who completed his 9.0 million Euro transfer from Super Liga champion FC Basel this past summer. The assist was a third in two D.F.B. Pokal matches this term for Shaqiri, whose only goal in his first 14 appearances in the colors of Bayern Munich came in the first round against SSV Jahn Regensburg. The little Swiss tank now boasts six helpers in all competitions this season for his new German employers.

Robben joined Pizarro in carrying double luggage for Bayern Munich after the two international stars combined in the closing stages. An alert ball from the Austrian Alaba sent the Auslaender (foreigner) with the most appearances and goals in the 50-year-history of the German Bundesliga away down the left and then Pizarro, unselfishly, was able to square for the Dangerous Dutchman. Robben swept home to record his eighth career D.F.B. Pokal goal in 10 career German Cup matches for the Bavarians and raise his overall total to 57 goals from 98 appearances in all competitions for Bayern Munich since signing from Spanish La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid in the late August of 2009.

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Wearing the captain’s armband for Bayern Munich on this occasion, experienced Holland World Cup winger ARJEN ROBBEN splits the 1.FC Kaiserslautern defensive pair of Denmark international defender LEON JESSEN (3) and youngster DOMINIQUE HEINTZ (33) with a perfect pass into the penalty box and sets up the first goal of the match for the not-pictured Peru international Claudio Pizarro during the second round Deutscher Fussball Bund Pokal match at the Allianz Arena.
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BAYERN MUNICH : Starke – Rafinha (Weiser 79′), Martinez, Boateng, Contento – Tymoshchuk, Can – Robben, Alaba, Shaqiri – Pizarro

1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN : Sippel – Dick, Torrejon, Heintz, Jessen – Hajri – Zellner, Fortounis (Azaouagh 66′), Baumjohann (Nsor 81′), Bugera (Linsmayer 56′) – Idrissou

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Bayern Munich 2 – 1.FC Kaiserslautern 0

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Holland World Cup winger ARJEN ROBBEN of Bayern Munich, who has battled fitness all season long and has now started the last two games on the bench, attempts to run away from 1.FC Kaiserslautern’s Greece U-21 international winger KOSTAS FORTOUNIS (28) during the Bundesliga match at the sold-out Allianz Arena in the southern German state of Bavaria.
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2/11/12
Bundesliga
Spieltag # 21

2 – BAYERN MUNICH ————————– Gomez 6′, Mueller 30′
0 – 1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN

A pair of headed goals inside the first half hour was enough to give the home side a strangle hold on the match as record German champion BAYERN MUNICH shut down visiting 1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN 2-0 and maintained its status as second from the top in the Bundesliga standings.

Reigning Bundesliga Torjaegermeister MARIO GOMEZ required all of just six minutes to strike for a league-leading 18th goal of this 2011/12 campaign and give the Bavarians an early advantage against the side who entered situated third from bottom in the top flight. After some nifty footwork to shed his marker along the touchline, Germany World Cup left back and Bayern Munich club captain PHILIPP LAHM found in-form France World Cup winger FRANCK RIBERY just outside the penalty box on the left. Ribery then also used a good piece of individual skill to beat the very same, unfortunate 1.FC Kaiserslautern player, 24-year-old midfielder OLCAY SAHAN, and delivered an inch-perfect cross for Gomez to meet at the near post.

With die Roten Teufel conceding tons of possession and territory cheaply, Bayern Munich were able to add a second just as the half hour mark arrived. Germany international midfielder TONI KROOS curled a free kick into the box that a host of players on both sides went up for but only Germany World Cup winger THOMAS MUELLER would get a head to. A third tally of the Bundesliga season for the Golden Boot winner from the last FIFA World Cup in South Africa, then, and the first goal in the top flight for Mueller since the Bayer Leverkusen match back on September 24 of last year. The last goal scored by Mueller for Bayern Munich in any competition occurred last October 26 in the Deutscher Fussball Bund Pokal contest opposite 2.Bundesliga side FC Ingolstadt.

Mueller, of course, assisted on both Bavarian goals as Bayern Munich knocked Swabian rival Vfb Stuttgart out of the German Cup at the quarterfinal stage earlier this week.

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Germany international striker MARIO GOMEZ, the 26-year-old who set a domestic record with a 30.0 million Euro transfer from Vfb Stuttgart in the summer of 2009 and has scored 56 goals in 81 top flight contests for Bayern Munich since, dribbles past 1.FC Kaiserslautern defender MATHIAS ABEL (6), the 30-year-old, well-traveled veteran who has been on the books of Borussia Dortmund, 1.FSV 05 Mainz and Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen and had a loan spell with SV Hamburg previously, during the Bundesliga match at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.
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Bayern Munich might have had at least a few more in the second half, as well, had it not been for the fine work of Germany U-21 international goalkeeper KEVIN TRAPP in between the sticks for 1.FC Kaiserslautern. The Red Devils’ netminder made two nice plays, in particular, to thwart Gomez after the Bayern striker had made a nice solo run into the box and deal with ARJEN ROBBEN, the Holland World Cup winger who had come on as a second half substitute for Mueller just before the hour, at close quarters.

Robben, who racked up 28 goals from 38 Bundesliga games his first two years with Bayern Munich in the German top flight after transferring from Spanish La Liga giant Real Madrid in exchange for 25.0 million Euros but is a little off-pace with just five goals from twelve matches in the Bundesliga this term, had four good opportunities to shoot but was foiled by both Trapp and failure to find the target.

SANDRO WAGNER, the 24-year-old former Bayern Munich youth product who was just recently acquired on loan by 1.FC Kaiserslautern from SV Werder Bremen this winter, did little as a lone striker up front to trouble his former employers. Israel international striker ITAY SCHECHTER, the 2.5 million Euro summer purchase from FC Hapoel Tel Aviv who still leads the Rhineland-Palatinate club with three goals from 19 appearances this season despite having lost his place in the Startelf at the beginning of November, was sent on just after the hour but also had difficulty breaching the Bavarian defense. Of course, with Bayern Munich having so much of the ball all match long, a lack of service did little to assist either attacker.

Meanwhile, Germany World Cup goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER of Bayern Munich was able to record his 12th clean sheet of the Bundesliga season.

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Germany U-21 international goalkeeper KEVIN TRAPP (29) of 1.FC Kaiserslautern makes a save at close range to deny Holland World Cup winger ARJEN ROBBEN (10), who has appeared in just 16 of Bayern Munich’s 33 matches in all competitions this term, during the one-sided Bundesliga match at the sold-out Allianz Arena in Bavaria.
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BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Rafinha, Boateng, Badstuber, Lahm – Luiz Gustavo, Alaba – Mueller (Robben 56′), Kroos (Tymoshchuk 82′), Ribery (Olic 78′) – Gomez

1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN : Trapp – Dick, Yahia, Abel, Jessen – Petsos (Zellner 82′) – Sahan, Tiffert, Fortounis (Derstroff 64′), Sukuta Pasu (Schechter 64′) – Wagner

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Shechter Lifts Kaiserslautern

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SC Freiburg’s 32-year-old veteran defender OLIVER BARTH heads the ball away from 24-year-old Israel international striker ITAY SHECHETER of 1.FC Kaiserslautern, the summer transfer costing 2.5 million Euros from Ligat Ha’Al club FC Hapoel Tel Aviv, during the Bundesliga match at the Fritz Walter Stadion in Rhineland-Paltinate.
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Turned away by the underside of the crossbar earlier in the second half, Israel international striker ITAY SHECHTER outjumped two defenders to head home with just a quarter of an hour remaining and lift 1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN to a second consecutive victory with the 1-0 triumph over visiting cellar-dwellers SC FREIBURG at the old Betzenbergstadion.

Die Roten Teufel, who are still tied for last in the league having scored just eight goals in their first ten matches of this Bundesliga season, could ill afford to drop points in the standings at home to the bottom club in the German top flight on Saturday. But the new signing Shechter’s third goal of this term enabled the Red Devils to achieve the maximum result against SC Freiburg and remain two places ahead of the dreaded relegation zone. A flick-on at the near post off by 1.FC Kaiserslautern’s 29-year-old veteran defender MARTIN AMEDICK off a long throw-in allowed the Israel international lurking in the center to finish with aplomb in the 75th minute.

Shechter then afforded 1.FC Kaiserslautern a fantastic opportunity to put the game away for good a few minutes later after he was brought down in the box but 29-year-old midfielder and club captain CHRISTIAN TIFFERT had his spot kick turned away by SC Freiburg goalkeeper OLIVER BAUMANN, the youthful 21-year-old who had never before saved a penalty in the Bundesliga.

Herbst ’73 : “Wunder Vom Betzenberg”

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Bayern Munich winger BERND GERSDORFF, the off-season signing from relegated Eintracht Braunschweig who recorded two goals but also later received his marching orders in the well-remembered “Miracle of the Betzenberg”, lost this particular battle for the ball to 1.FC Kaiserslautern goalkeeper JOSEF ELTING during the famous Bundesliga match staged in late October of 1973.
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The match, itself, rightfully remains among the most riveting contests in the annals of the Bundesliga and, indeed, featured one of the most improbable and outright remarkable comebacks in of all German football history.

Two-time defending league champion BAYERN MUNICH were cruising comfortably as the hour mark approached opposite 1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN in the Bundesliga match being played on October 20, 1973. The visting Bavarians were well ahead 4-1 at the Betzenbergstadion thanks to a pair of goals from summer signing BERND GERSDORFF and West Germany international striker GERD MUELLER. A second goal from the superstar Mueller in the 57th minute had all but put the points in the proverbial bag for Bayern Munich trainer UDO LATTEK’s well-stocked side.

After all, the white-shirted visitors fielded five players against 1.FC Kaiserslautern on the turf that noteworthy day at the Betze who had been starters for West Germany’s title-winning squad at the 1972 European Cup of Nations tournament. Moreover, three of those champion players — GEORG SCHWARZENBECK, club captain FRANZ BECKENBAUER and goalkeeper SEPP MAIER — were deployed at the back by the Bavarians. The task facing die Roten Teufel, who, in direct contrast, featured just one player who had already been capped by West Germany at this point in time, was a monumental one to be certain.

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JOSEF “Seppl” PIRRUNG of 1.FC Kaiserslautern, who ultimately appeared in 304 career Bundesliga matches for die Roten Teufel and would make his international debut within one month of the photo here, slips the ball past West Germany’s 1972 European Cup of Nations champion goalkeeper SEPP MAIER of Bayern Munich in the 43rd minute of the famous “Wunder von Betzenberg” match; the Bavarian trainer Udo Lattek later lamented that the play Pirrung made to sneak up on and steal the ball from Bayern Munich midfielder Franz Roth to score just before the break only served to foreshadow exactly what was in store for the visitors the second half of the famous match at the Betzenbergstadion in October of 1973.
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1.FC Kaiserslautern were not about to consign themselves to defeat after the legendary der Bomber shot his second, however. 22-year-old midfielder KLAUS TOPPMOELLER struck back within sixty seconds by getting his head to a long ball played into the box by Red Devils right winger JOSEF PIRRUNG to generate hope. And an uncharacteristic mistake at the back, in part by Beckenbauer, allowed Pirrung to grab his second goal of the match just three minutes later and pull die Roten Teufel within one.

The 24-year-old Pirrung, who would record a career high 13 goals in the Bundesliga during the 1973-74 season, then scored his third goal of the game from a tight angle on the right and pulled rejuvenated 1.FC Kaiserslautern level with Bayern Munich after Maier had stopped a free kick in the 73rd minute.

The dismissal of Gersdorff with a straight red card only three minutes after the equalizer tipped the scales once and for all and also spelled the end of the line for the 26-year-old Bayern Munich winger, who was transferred back to Regionalliga Nord (second division) Eintracht Braunschweig on the first day of November.

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This goal from 1.FC Kaiserslautern’s Man of the Match KLAUS TOPPMOELLER (far left) would be disallowed but the 22-year-old midfielder, who burst onto the Bundesliga scene with 21 goals for die Roten Teufel during the 1973-74 campaign and would later be capped three times by West Germany in his career, provided the Vorarbeit for the decider in the memorable “Wunder von Betzenberg” match in October of 1973.
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Despite having a goal waved off by the match referee, 1.FC Kaiserslautern blitzed ten-man Bayern Munich with a further three goals in the history-making final stages. Toppmoeller began the romp with a square ball at the top of the box for on-rushing defender ERNST DIEHL, the captain of die Roten Teufel in the 84th minute. HERBERT LAUMEN, the only member of the trainer ERICH RIBBECK’s Red Devils team to have been capped by West Germany coming into the match, clinched a victory for the ages with a pair of goals late.

The sudden and surprising 7-4 defeat to 1.FC Kaiserslautern literally shocked Bayern Munich. The reigning two-time West German champions were all set to host East German titlist Dynamo Dresden in the second round of the prestigous European Cup in just a few days time at the Olympiastadion in Munich but the result at the Betzenbergstadion only served to raise the alarm about Bayern Munich’s defense. That, however, is another story.

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1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN : Elting – Huber, Diehl, Schwager, Fuchs – Toppmoeller, Bitz, Laumen – Pirring, Sandberg, Ackermann

BAYERN MUNICH : Maier – Hansen, Beckenbauer, Schwarzenbeck, Duernberger – Zobel, Roth, Hoeness – Hoffmann, Mueller, Gersdorff

Shechter Fires Kaiserslautern To First Victory

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Flanked by former FC St. Pauli of Hamburg and Germany U-21 international attacker RICHARD SUKUTA-PASU (16), an ethnic Congolese born and raised in Wuppertal, Israel international striker ITAY SHECHTER (9) runs off after scoring what will prove to be the winning goal for 1.FC KAISERSLAUSTERN against visiting FSV 05 MAINZ in the second half of the Bundesliga match at the venerable Fritz Walter Stadion originally built in 1920 on the Betzenberg Hill.
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It had shot the goal that gave 1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN its first point of the season in the Bundesliga. And now, it has fired the go-ahead goal that propelled the club to its first victory of the season in the German top flight. Is it a bird, is it a plane?

No, it is Israel international striker ITAY SHECHTER, the off-season acquisition purchased from Ligat Ha’Al club FC Hapoel Tel Aviv for the modest transfer fee of 2.5 million Euros.

Like any good striker, Shechter was lurking in front and, in the 54th minute, able to capitalize on a fortuitous rebound off a corner kick to fire 1.FC Kaiserslautern to the lead in what became a 3-1 victory over FSV 05 Mainz. A second goal of the season for the 24-year-old import proved to be critical as die Roten Teufel captured their first Bundesliga triumph this term at the sixth attempt. With the three points secured against FSV 05 Mainz, 1.FC Kaiserslautern were able to move out of the dreaded relegation zone and up to safety in the standings … if only for the time being.

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Supporters of 1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN waive handkerchiefs during the Bundesliga match with visiting FSV 05 Mainz at the old Betzenbergstadion in Rhineland-Palatinate; knowing the competitive and fun-loving nature of German football fans, the fans of die Roten Teufel (the Red Devils) are probably offering their counterpart guests from Mainz, which is also located in the southwestern state of Rhineland-Palatinate, crying towels.
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One of the oldest clubs in all of German football, 1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN were founded in June of 1900 and later became one of the original members of the Bundesliga when the new nationwide league formed to start the 1963-64 season in what was still then West Germany. In all, die Roten Teufel have claimed four national championships in its history, including the two Bundesliga titles captured during the 1990s. The Red Devils have also won the Deutscher Fussball Bund Pokal (German Cup) on two occasions.

1.FC Kaiserslautern are the only German team to ever finish first in the 2.Bundesliga standings one year (1997) and, upon promotion, capture the Bundesliga crown in the very next (1998) campaign. Nowadays, the overriding concern of die Roten Teufel would be to avoid a return to the German second division, where they had spent four consecutive seasons prior to the promotion to start last season. Although the club did finish a very respectable seventh in the top flight upon its return last term, 1.FC Kaiserslautern are still recovering from the financial difficulties which began to overwhelm the club after the new millenium.

One player the Red Devils are specifically counting on to deliver the goals this season is Shechter. The in-coming Israel international was picked out by club management to replace the departed Croatian striker SRDAN LAKIC, who led 1.FC Kaiserslautern with 16 Bundesliga goals for the 2010-11 campaign. Of course, the 27-year-old Lakic left this summer and signed with Vfl Wolfburg on a free transfer.

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Israel international striker ITAY SHECHTER (9) of 1.FC Kaiserslautern, who scored 22 goals in 34 league games for FC Hapoel Tel Aviv two seasons ago, shakes hands with die Roten Teufel trainer MARCO KURZ after registering the go-ahead goal in the second half of the Bundesliga match with FSV 05 Mainz at the Fritz Walter Stadion.

1.FC Kaiserslautern 0 – Bayern Munich 3

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Croatia international midfielder IVO ILICEVIC (22) of 1.FC Kaiserslautern, who would wind up being dismissed in time added on to the second half, is confronted by the Bayern Munich pair of Germany international defender HOLGER BADSTUBER and the sliding Ukraine international midfielder ANATOLI TYMOSHCHUK at the ausverkauft Fritz Walter Stadion in Rhineland-Palatinate.
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08/27/2011
Bundesliga
Spieltag # 4

0 – 1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN
3 – BAYERN MUNICH ——————— Gomez pen 37′, 55′, 69′

The reigning Bundesliga Torjaegermeister burst back into form and the backline continued its impressive shutout string as visiting BAYERN MUNICH blanked 1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN 3-0 and took the lead, if only temporarily, in the German top flight.

The Bavarians had their way for most of the match but die Roten Teufel held firm through most of the first half; Germany international striker MARIO GOMEZ, who led the Bundesliga with 28 goals last term, finally sent Bayern Munich to the lead in the 37th minute after Brazilian defender RODNEI of 1.FC Kaiserslautern had been whistled for a hand ball in the box.

Ten minutes after the break, Germany World Cup winger THOMAS MUELLER went down in the area and Rodnei was, yet again, found to be at fault by the referee. This time, 1.FC Kaiserslautern goalkeeper KEVIN TRAPP got a hand on the spot kick of Gomez after diving to his right. But an inviting rebound bounced virtually right back to the Bayern Munich striker, who patiently stashed his second chance into the corner of the wide open net.

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Ukraine international midfielder ANATOLI TYMOSHCHUK (44) of Bayern Munich, the 32-year-old veteran with 107 caps for his country who also appeared last week in the Bavarian Startelf opposite SV Hamburg, duels for the ball with 1.FC Kaiserslautern’s Israel international striker ITAY SHECHTER during the Bundesliga match at the old Betzenbergstadion in southwestern Germany.
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The third Bayern Munich goal was essentially manufactured by Mueller in the 69th minute. The still only 21-year-old, winner of the Golden Boot as the top scorer at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, made a skillful run into the box on the left from a throw-in and then found Gomez all alone in front near the penalty spot. The striker wasted little time left-footing the ball straight between the wickets of the unfortunate Trapp, who was easily his side’s best player of the contest.

Bayern Munich held an enourmous 17-4 advantage over 1.FC Kaiserslautern in shots-at-goal and Germany World Cup goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER, the Bavarians’ big money buy this summer at 18.0 million Euros from Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen, was called upon to make but a single save; Germany international JEROME BOATENG, the 13.5 million Euro summer purchase from English Premier League side Manchester City, featured at right back on the Bayern backline for a second consecutive match in place of the Brazilian RAFINHA, the one-time Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen defender who was bought from Italian Serie A side CFC Genoa for 5.5 million Euros.

The Bavarians kept a clean sheet in Kaiserslautern for a fifth consecutive match in all competitions and have now posted six shutouts in seven matches while conceding a solitary goal.

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BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Boateng, van Buyten, Badstuber, Lahm – Tymoshchuk, Schweinsteiger (Kroos 88′) – Alaba (Luiz Gustavo 83′), Mueller, Ribery – Gomez (Petersen 85′)

1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN : Trapp – Dick, Amedick, Rodnei, Jessen – Petsos (Orban 87′) – Walch (Sukuta-Pasu 62′), Tiffert, De Wit (Fortounis 56), Ilicevic – Shechter

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Spieler Bericht : 1.FC Kaiserslautern 2011/12

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Israel international striker ITAY SHECHTER, by far 1.FC Kaiserslautern’s most expensive off-season signing, runs off after registering his first career goal in the German top flight at the expense of kneeling netminder SIMON JENTZSCH (1) between the sticks for newly-promoted FC Augsburg during the Bundesliga match contested two Sundays ago at the the venerable Fritz Walter Stadion in Rhineland-Palatinate.
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More than a few seasons have passed since record German champion Bayern Munich have beaten 1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN at the Fritz Walter Stadion in Rhineland-Palatinate. This, in part, due to the fact that the Bavarians fell 2-0 to die Roten Teufel on their previous journey twelve months ago. And because 1.FC Kaiserslautern had also spent four consecuitve campaigns competing in the 2.Bundesliga prior to promotion last year.

Trainer MARCO KURZ, who spent the bulk of his playing days in Bavaria with 1.FC Nuremburg and TSV 1860 Munich, has employed three different formations in as many matches so it will be interesting to see how the Red Devils deploy opposite Bayern Munich on Saturday; Kurz’s charges have drawn twice after losing their first contest of this new Bundesliga season.

1.FC Kaiserslautern made relatively few changes to last season’s squad but did splash out 2.5 million Euros to purchase Israel international striker ITAY SHECHTER from Ligat Ha’Al club FC Hapoel Tel Aviv. In turn, Shechter has already opened his Bundesliga account. Germany U-21 international attacker RICHARD SUKUTA-PASU, who scored two goals in 22 games for FC St. Pauli of Hamburg during his year and a half loan term there, was bought from Bayer Leverkusen for 280,000 Euros and Cameroon international striker DORGE KOUEMAHA has arrived on loan from Belgian side Club Brugge to strenghten the attack, as well.

This is the group that must replace the departed Croatia international striker SRDJAN LAKIC, who netted 16 times in the Bundesliga for die Roten Teufel last season but left for Vfl Wolfsburg on a free transfer in addition to Austria international attacker ERWIN HOFFER, who added five goals but was only on loan from Italian Serie A side SSC Napoli. Out of favor for Kurz and 1.FC Kaiserslautern at the moment appears to be a pair of 25-year-old international attackers, the Bulgarian ILIYAN MITSANSKI and the Slovak ADAM NEMEC.

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Croatia international IVO ILICEVIC of 1.FC Kaiserslautern, the 24-year-old midfielder who originally arrived on loan from Vfl Bochum to start the 2009-10 2.Bundesliga season, slide tackles the ball away from Germany World Cup winger THOMAS MUELLER of Bayern Munich during the Bundesliga match won by die Roten Teufel twelve months ago at the Fritz Walter Stadion in Rhineland-Palatinate.
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1.FC Kaiserslautern also lost Czech Republic international JAN MORAVEK, the youngster who tied for second on the team with five Bundesliga goals last season and now returned to Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen, but still retain creative Croatia international IVO ILICEVIC, the play-making midfielder who also scored five goals in the German top flight and added seven assists last term, as well.

29-year-old veteran CHRISTIAN TIFFERT has been a mainstay in defensive midfield since arriving from MSV Duisburg one year ago and 28-year-old OLIVER KIRCH, who also arrived from Arminia Bielefeld to begin the previous campaign, is another seasoned player in the middle of the park for the proud four-times national champion from Kaiserslautern; the 20-year-old German THANOS PETROS in another player available although the 27-year-old Czech JIRI BILEK is out injured.

Die Roten Teufel also paid FC Hapoel Tel Aviv a further 750,000 Euros for Israel international GIL VERMOUTH, although the 26-year-old midfielder has yet to make his Bundesliga debut. 1.FC Kaiserslautern also acquired 18-year-old KONSTANTINOS FORTOUNIS, the Greece U-21 international who cost 250,000 Euros from Super League side FC Asteras Tripolis. And OLCAY SAHAN has signed on a free transfer from 2.Bundesliga club MSV Duisburg to bolster the midfield.

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Attack-minded rearguard RODNEI of 1.FC Kaiserslautern, the 25-year-old Brazilian who tallied two goals from 26 matches in the German top flight last season with the Rhineland-Palatinate club, scored five goals in 34 games after signing on loan from SC Hertha Berlin as die Roten Teufel claimed the 2.Bundesliga title for the 2009-10 campaign.
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FLORIAN DICK and Denmark international LEON JESSEN, signed last summer from FC Midtjylland last summer, are the flanks on the backline for 1.FC Kaiserslautern while fortifying the middle is the Brazilian RODNEI. Another pair of match-tested centerbacks are 28-year-old club captain MARTIN AMEDICK and the well-traveled 30-year-old MATHIAS ABEL. Czech JAN SIMUNEK, the one-time Vfl Wolfsburg defender has been a long-term injury casualty for die Roten Teufel.

Germany youth international KEVIN TRAPP started the final nine matches of the 2010-11 season and has established himself as first choice in between the sticks for 1.FC Kaiserslautern. The 21-year-old has now contested an even dozen games in the German top flight for his career. It was the now-displaced TOBAS SIPPEL, it should be remembered, who pitched the shutout in newly-promoted 1.FC Kaiserslautern’s 2-0 win over Bayern Munich at the old Betzenbergstadion last August.

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1.FC Kaiserslautern’s youthful goalkeeper KEVIN TRAPP (29) flops about like a fish out of water but it is 1.FC Koeln’s experienced Slovenia World Cup striker MILIVOJE NOVAKOVIC (11) who fails to score on this particular play during the Bundesliga match last Saturday at the RheinEnergie Stadion in Cologne.
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1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN
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Arriving
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mf – Olcay SAHAN – Turkey —————————– fr MSV Duisburg
mf – Kostas FORTOUNIS – Greece ——————– fr FC Asteras Tripolis (Gre)
mf – Gil VERMOUTH – Israel int’l ——————— fr FC Hapoel Tel Aviv (Isr)
fw – Itay SCHECHTER – Israel int’l ——————- fr FC Hapoel Tel Aviv (Isr)
fw – Richard SUKUTA-PASU —————————- fr Bayer Leverkusen
fw – Dorge KOUEMAHA – Cameroon int’l ——— fr Club Brugge (Bel)

(Sukuta-Pasu spent all of last season out on loan with FC St. Pauli of Hamburg; Kouemaha is on loan for this season from Belgian outfit Club Brugge)

Departing
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mf – Jan MORAVEK – Czech Rep int’l ————– to Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen
mf – Adam HLOUSEK – Czech Rep int’l ———– to FK Baumit Jablonec (Cze)
mf – Bastian SCHULZ ————————————— to RB Leipzig
mf – Danny FUCHS —————————————— retired
fw – Srdjan LAKIC – Croatia int’l ———————- to Vfl Wolfsburg

(Hlousek had been out on loan from Czech Republic side Slavia Prague, Moravek had been out on loan for the season)

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In-Form Shechter Saves Day In Kaiserslautern

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1.FC Kaiserslautern international striker ITAY SHECHTER (9), the 2.5 million Euro purchase from FC Hapoel Tel Aviv with nine caps and three goals for Israel under his belt, battles for the ball with FC Augsburg defender JAN-INGWER CALLSEN-BRACKER, the former Germany U-21 international previously with Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Moenchengladbach, during the Bundesliga match at the Fritz Walter Stadion in Rhineland-Palatinate.
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Israel international ITAY SHECHTER selected a good time to score his first career Bundesliga goal with an emphatic strike a little over ten minutes from time to salvage a share of the spoils for 1.FC KAISERSLAUTREN in a 1-1 draw with newly-promoted FC Augsburg in the German top flight on Sunday.

Shechter was signed by 1.FC Kaiserslautern specifically to replace Croatian striker SRDJAN LAKIC, who scored 16 goals in the Bundesliga last season but has since moved on a free transfer to Vfl Wolfsburg. The 24-year-old accepted a pass just outside the penalty area and confidently stormed into the box to lash a low, left-footed drive past FC Augburg’s outstretched goalkeeper SIMON JENTZSCH in the 80th minute. Shechter made his Bundesliga debut for 1.FC Kaiserslautern last week as the club from Rhineland-Palatinate lost 0-2 away at Werder Bremen.

The currently in-form Shechter also scored on international duty this past Wednesday during Israel’s 4-3 loss in the friendly with the Ivory Coast at Geneva, Switzerland.

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Israel striker ITAY SHECHTER (11) of German Bundesliga club 1.FC Kaiserslautern shoots past Ivory Coast World Cup goalkeeper BOUBACAR BARRY (1) of Belgian club KSC Lokeren to score his country’s first goal during the international friendly played this past Wednesday at the neutral site of Geneva, Switzerland.
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1.FC Kaiserslautern, who were originally founded in June of 1900, paid a reported 2.5 million Euros to Ligat Ha’Al outfit FC Hapoel Tel Aviv for the services of Shechter this summer. The Israel club, who impressed in the UEFA Champions League last season, apparently also stand to pocket 20% of any future transfer fees the German club might receive, as well. Die Roten Teufel also acquired Israel international GIL VERMOUTH from FC Hapoel Tel Aviv for an additional 750,000 Euros, but the 25-year-old midfielder has yet to make his Bundesliga debut for the Red Devils.

Shechter, who had scored 22 goals in 34 games for league champion FC Hapoel Tel Aviv during the 2009-10 campaign, registered four strikes from eleven matches in the Israeli top flight before going down injured in the middle of January and missing the rest of last season as a result. The emerging international attacker also shot the Israeli club’s lone goal in the UEFA Champions League 3-1 loss to Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen in Germany last fall. Shechter’s absence from the line-up contributed heavily to the failure of FC Hapoel Tel Aviv to defend its Israeli domestic title.

Bayern Munich 5 – 1.FC Kaiserslautern 1

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Born in Halle during the time of the Deutsche Demokratische Republic, 1.FC Kaiserslautern midfielder CHRISTIAN TIFFERT (left) looks to distance himself from Bayern Munich’s new Brazilian midfielder purchased during the Winterpause from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim for 15.0 million Euros, LUIZ GUSTAVO, at the Allianz Arena in Bavaria. (Christof Stache/AFP)
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BUNDESLIGA
Spieltag # 19
1/22/2011

5 – Bayern Munich ————– Robben 45+1′, Gomez 46, 80, 85, Mueller 90+1′
1 – 1.FC Kaiserslautern ——– Moravek 62′

A sharp goal in injury time of the first half and another following excellent ball movement in the first minute of the second session started defending champion BAYERN MUNICH on its way to an impressive 5-1 pounding of 1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN in the Bundesliga.

On the heels of a scoreless first half, Germany World Cup winger THOMAS MUELLER produced a surgical pass after crossing midfield which curled and cut right through the heart of the Kaiserslautern defense. Racing in on the right at the edge of the box was Holland World Cup winger ARJEN ROBBEN, the Bavarians’ top Torjaeger last term with 16 goals in the Bundesliga. Finally returning to the starting XI for Bayern Munich after missing the entire first half of the 2010-11 campaign due to injury, the Dutchman delightfully danced around advancing Kaiserslautern goalkeeper TOBIAS SIPPEL to score his first goal of this ‘new’ season.

Robben was heavily involved in the second, as well, after taking a pass from Ukraine international midfielder-turned-centerhalf ANATOLI TYMOSHCHUK on the wing. Cutting inside to the center on the edge of the area, the former FC Chelsea and Real Madrid danger man released Germany World Cup midfielder BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER into the box on the right. A smart square ball with Sippel drawn over allowed Germany international striker MARIO GOMEZ to tap into a wide open net.

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Croatia international defender DANIJEL PRANJIC (left), who is tied for the team lead on Bayern Munich with five assists in the Bundesliga this season, controls the ball next to 1.FC Kaiserslautern midfielder OLIVER KIRCH at the Allianz Arena in southern Germany. (Matthias Schrader/AP)
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Kaiserslautern, who won two Bundesliga titles during the decade of the 1990s, would not surrender so easily and halved the deficit in the 62nd minute. Tymoshchuk failed to cut out a cross properly. Czech Republic international midfielder JAN MORAVEK helped himself to the inviting loose ball and lashed a shot low, far post past Bayern Munich’s new goalkeeper, the 22-year-old THOMAS KRAFT. The 21-year-old Moravek, on loan for the season from Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen, has now scored four goals this season for die Roten Teufel.

Robben might have added a second with a left-footer which was ticketed for the top corner but was denied by a fine save from Sippel. The Dutchman’s replacement, Turkey international winger HAMIT ALTINTOP, had a hand in a second goal for Gomez, though. Altintop’s attempted square ball was redirected and ended as an effective forward pass for the Germany international striker, who made no mistake in the 80th minute.

Gomez completed his hat trick five minutes later after being sent clear by Schweinsteiger. Strolling in on the beleaguered Sippel, the 25-year-old striker blasted a shot past the Kaiserslautern ‘keeper to register his 15th goal in the Bundesliga this season. In all competitions, Gomez now counts 23 goals for Bayern Munich this term.

Mueller closed Bayern Munich’s account in injury time by sweeping a square ball from Altintop into the net at close range. By doing so, the 21-year-old winger extended his goal-scoring streak to three consecutive matches in the Bundesliga and four games in all competitons. Mueller, who, on the heels of such a fine performance at the 2010 FIFA World Cup for the national team in South Africa this summer, struggled somewhat at the start of the year, now boasts six goals in the Bundesliga for the Bavarians.

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22-year-old goalkeeper THOMAS KRAFT, in just his second-ever starting assignment for Bayern Munich in the German top flight, celebrates his first career victory in the Bundesliga against visiting 1.FC Kaiserslautern at the Allianz Arena in Bavaria. (Sebastian Widmann/DAPD)
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BAYERN MUNICH : Kraft – Lahm, Tymoshchuk, Badstuber, Pranjic – van Bommel, Luiz Gustavo (Breno 85′) – Robben (Altintop 74′), Schweinsteiger, Mueller – Gomez

1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN : Sippel – Dick, Amedick, Rodnei, Bugera (Jessen 76′) – Petsos (Amri 66′) – Kirch, Tiffert, Moravek (Hoffer 66′), Ilicevic – Nemec

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(Sebastian Widmann/DAPD)
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(Matthias Schrader/AP)
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(Matthias Schrader/AP)
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MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

DDR Reuninon At ’81 DFB Pokal

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Eintracht Frankfurt goal-scorer RONALD BORCHERS (left), who was capped six times in his career by West Germany, looks to cross the ball in as 1.FC Kaiserslautern captain HANS-GUENTER NEUES observes midfielder FRIEDHELM FUNKEL arriving to defend during the 1981 West German Cup Final in front of 71,000 spectators at the Neckarstadion in Stuttgart. (Jorg Schmitt/DPA)
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In what had to be a propaganda disaster for the Deutsche Demokratische Republik, a former East German player was always guaranteed to be on the winning side going into the Final of the 1981 DFB Pokal at the Neckarstadion in the Bundesrepublik city of Stuttgart.

After all, each contestant boasted at least one defector from the communist DDR on its books for the decisive match of the annual knockout competition in West Germany and, thus, history would be made regardless of the result.

Eintracht Frankfurt, the defending UEFA Cup champions, fielded the former Chemie Halle pair of versatile midfielder NORBERT NACHTWEIH as well as goalkeeper JUERGEN PAHL — both had bolted the Iron Curtain roughly four and a half years earlier while in Turkey with the East Germany U-21 international team.

Nachtweih, equally adept at attacking or defending, was well on his way to a second consecutive season of seven goals and 30-plus appearances for die Adler in the Bundesliga; the 23-year-old all-arounder scored 10 goals from 42 games in all competitions for Eintracht Frankfurt that year.

After a long wait since first joining the club, Pahl finally established himself as the Eagles first choice by playing 32 of Eintracht Frankfurt’s 47 fixtures for the 1980-81 campaign.

Interestingly enough, neither Nachtweih nor Pahl featured for visiting West German side Eintracht Frankfurt for the UEFA Cup first round, first leg match opposite Ukranian side SHAKHTAR DONETSK in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on September 17, 1980.

Meanwhile, in the squad for 1.FC Kaiserslautern was for East Germany international midfielder LUTZ EIGENDORF, who was in his first full Bundesliga season after sitting out the FIFA-mandated year-long suspension following his defection in March of 1979.

Eigendorf, who had been dubbed the Beckenbauer of the East before his defection from Stasi-sponsored Dynamo Berlin, struggled with both fitness and form during the 1980-81 schedule and only appeared in 19 of 34 Bundesliga games for 1.FC Kaiserslautern while scoring three goals.

The 24-year-old, who had played all four of Kaiserslautern’s games in the UEFA Cup that fall, made only four appearances, all in the Bundesliga, after the Winterpause; entering the 1981 DFB Pokal Finale against Eintracht Frankfurt at the beginning of May, Eigendorf had not been in the first team since the end of March.

Fully informed of Eigendorf’s progress in West Germany, Stasi chief ERICH MIELKE must have been pleased.

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1981 DFB POKAL FINALE
Neckarstadion — Stuttgart
Zuschauer — 71,000

3 – Eintracht Frankfurt ——— Neuberger 38′, Borchers 40′, Cha 64′
1 – 1.FC Kaiserslautern ———– Geye 90′

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT : Pahl ; Pezzey, Sziedat, Koerbel, Neuberger, Lorant, Borchers, Nachtweih, Nickel, Hoelzenbein, Cha

1.FC KAISERSLAUTERN : Hellstrom ; Wolf, Dusek, Melzer, Briegel, Neues, Geye, Funkel, Wendt, Bongartz, Hofeditz