MILAN (AP) — Bodø/Glimt pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Champions League history by knocking out 2025 finalist Inter Milan on Tuesday.
The tiny Norwegian team won 2-1 at the San Siro to seal a 5-2 aggregate victory in the playoffs and secure its place in the round of 16 in spectacular fashion.
In its first season in European club soccer's top competition Bodø/Glimt has produced one shock after another following wins against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid at the end of the league phase. But victory over two legs against Serie A leader Inter was its biggest feat yet.
Second-half goals from Jens Petter Hauge and Hakon Evjen stunned the home fans in Milan and set Bodø/Glimt on course for a clash with City or Sporting Lisbon in the next round.
Alessandro Bastoni pulled a goal back for Inter, but by then the damage had already been done.
Atletico beat Club Brugge 4-1 and completed a 7-4 aggregate win, Newcastle won 3-2 against Qarabag (9—3) and Bayer Leverkusen advanced 2-0 on aggregate against Olympiacos after 0-0 draw in the second leg.
Bodø/Glimt’s stunning run goes on
To put Bodø/Glimt’s run into context: by the start of January it had yet to win its first game in the Champions League.
In a whirlwind few weeks it has taken down 2023 European champion City, three-time winner Inter and Spanish giant Atletico.
According to stats firm Opta, a month ago it had a 0.3% chance of advancing to the round of 16 having picked up three points from six games in the league phase.
But those victories against City and Atletico have propelled its Champions League campaign and over two legs it was too good for an Inter team that tops the Italian league by 10 points.
Defending a 3-1 first leg win, Kjetil Knutsen’s team soaked up pressure until a mistake from Manuel Akanji was seized on by Ole Didrik Blomberg in the 58th minute. His shot was saved by Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer, but Hauge was there to convert the rebound.
Hauge now has six goals in this year's tournament.
Akanji hit the post as Inter tried to mount a fight back, but Evjen lashed in a second for the visitors in the 72nd to send around 3,000 traveling fans wild.
Bastoni's goal, which marginally crossed the line, never looked like being the start of a comeback for the Italians.
Atletico advances
A hat trick by Alexander Sorloth helped Atletico Madrid finally shake off Club Brugge.
Diego Simeone's team won 4-1 in the second leg, but the wide margin on the night didn't tell the full story of Brugge's resilience over two games.
A 3-3 draw in Belgium last week had seen Brugge come back from two goals down and then level again in the 89th minute.
In the second leg in Madrid it fought back once more after Sorloth fired Atletico in front in the 23rd. Joel Ordonez leveled 13 minutes later.
Diego Simeone's team went 2-1 ahead through Johnny Cardoso early in the second half and Brugge's resolve was finally broken.
Sorloth completed his hat trick with goals in the 76th and 87th to secure Atletico's place in the next round.
Newcastle completes the job against Qarabag
Newcastle's place in the next round was effectively sealed with a 6-1 win against Qarabag in the first leg. And it was 2-0 up inside six minutes of the home leg after Sandro Tonali and Joelinton struck.
Qarabag made a fight of it in the second half. Camilo Duran pulled one back before Sven Botman made it 3-1.
Elvin Jafarguliyev reduced the deficit again for the Azerbaijani team.
Bayer Leverkusen eased through by drawing with Olympiakos 0-0 and safeguarding its two-goal advantage from the first leg.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
