A night of footballing drama at San Siro saw Bodo/Glimt defy every expectation, as they stunned last season’s Champions League runners-up, Inter Milan, with a remarkable 2-1 victory. This result, coupled with their 3-1 win in Norway, secured an extraordinary 5-2 aggregate triumph in the Champions League play-offs—a feat that writes a brand-new chapter for Norwegian football.
No Norwegian side had ever progressed from a Champions League knockout tie before. For Bodo, this is not just a win, but a statement to the rest of Europe: Norwegian teams can no longer be overlooked.
Key moments that defined an upset
While Inter pressed relentlessly from the opening whistle, it was Bodo/Glimt’s discipline, resilience, and opportunism that carried the night. The first half saw Inter piling on pressure—30 shots in total, compared to just seven from the visitors—but Bodo’s Russian goalkeeper, Nikita Haikin, delivered a masterclass in shot-stopping.
- Haikin produced spectacular saves from Federico Dimarco and Davide Frattesi, keeping his side alive as Inter turned up the heat.
- In defence, Bodo’s structure was unyielding, and whenever a crack appeared, Haikin was there to mend it.
The tension grew until the 58th minute when fortune favoured the bold. Manuel Akanji’s careless back pass allowed Ole Didrik Blomberg through, and although Sommer stopped his initial effort, Jens Petter Hauge—once of AC Milan—was on hand to notch the simplest of finishes.
Turning the screws: Bodo’s ruthless second half
As Inter scrambled for a way back into the tie, Bodo seized their moment again. In the 72nd minute, Hakon Evjen lit up the evening, his glorious strike across Sommer doubling Bodo’s tally and sending their travelling fans into dreamland. Inter did pull one back moments later through Alessandro Bastoni, confirmed by goal-line technology, but the hosts’ fight had all but fizzled out.
Numbers never tell the full story, but consider this:
- Bodo managed just seven shots to Inter’s 30.
- They edged close in expected goals, narrowly losing out 1.74 to Inter’s 2.14.
- Most tellingly, they made their few chances count with an efficiency that stunned one of Europe’s most storied clubs.
Breaking new ground for Norway, one giant at a time
If history weighed heavily on Bodo, you’d never have known. Not since Lillestrom edged Linfield in 1987-88 had a Norwegian club advanced through a European Cup knockout round. Now, Kjetil Knutsen’s team have done it with a swagger all their own.
- On this run, Bodo have already defeated Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in the league phase.
- They are the first club outside Europe’s “big five” leagues (England, Spain, Germany, Italy, France) since Ajax in 1971-72 to win four consecutive games against teams from those elite nations in a single Champions League campaign.
- That Ajax side lifted the trophy—can Bodo dare to dream of a similar fairytale?
Jens Petter Hauge stands out as Bodo's talisman—his sixth goal of the campaign marks the single-season record for a Norwegian player with a Norwegian club in the Champions League. His resurgence after a stint at Milan adds sweet irony to his headline-grabbing performance at the San Siro.