The phantom goal (Cheated – part 2)

Ahead of the ‘derby’ game in Munich at the end of October, here’s a look back at a most ridiculous incident that took place when 1.FCN met Bayern in their former Olympic Stadium home. Ignore the title of the YouTube video in this clip. It was clearly made by a Bayern fan. For this example of disgraceful footballing dishonesty at least, the clip should be renamed ‘Worst Than Maradona, Worst Than Thierry Henry… Thomas Helmer You Dirty Rat’

April 1994. With 1.FCN (playing in yellow shirts) struggling for points at the wrong end of the Bundesliga and Munich trying to hold off the challenge of Kaiserslautern at the top, Nuremberg visited the Olympic Stadium which Bayern then shared with their neighbours 1860. With the score at 1-1 the referee made one of the most curious decisions ever seen.

As a cross came into the penalty area, Nuremberg keeper Kopke was left stranded. The ball fell to Thomas Helmer at the back post but he somehow managed to mis-control it and to the relief of Nuremberg the ball trickled harmlessly wide of the target. Kopke was now in a heap in the goal having scrambled to make up ground, and Helmer sportingly helped him to his feet, a nice gesture after such an embarrassing miss. However, when Helmer turned around he saw that the referee had signalled a goal.

The Munich players began to celebrate as Helmer’s sportsmanship was quickly replaced by a disgraceful lack of morality when, realising the points would go to his team, he raised his hands in triumph. Despite the protests of the Nuremberg players the ‘Phantom Tor’ was allowed to stand and the hosts won 2-1.

In an unprecedented move the DFB ordered the game to be replayed but the outcome was the same with Bayern taking the points, this time with a 5-0 victory. The hurt was to get much worse for the Clubberer a few weeks later when they missed safety by one point and Bayern won the title by the same margin.

And just in case you’re wondering why this post is sub-titled ‘Cheated – part 2′ and where ‘part 1′ has got to, read the first 1FCNUK blog post ‘At least Dick Turpin wore a mask’. It has now been re-named ‘At least Dick Turpin wore a mask (Cheated – part 1)

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