Giant killers Bodo/Glimt crush Inter to storm into Champions League last 16

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt delivered one of the biggest shocks of this season’s UEFA Champions League, defeating Inter 2-1 at the San Siro to complete a stunning 5-2 aggregate triumph and dump the Italian giants out at the playoff stage.

Holding a commanding 3-1 advantage from the first leg, Kjetil Knutsen’s side arrived in Milan with belief and left with history. Despite sustained early pressure from Inter, it was the visitors who struck first in the second half.

Jens Hauge broke the deadlock in the 58th minute, reacting quickest to a rebound inside the box to fire Bodo/Glimt into a 1-0 lead on the night. The goal silenced the home crowd and intensified Inter’s uphill battle.

The Norwegian side tightened their grip in the 72nd minute when Hakon Evjen finished clinically into the bottom left corner after being released by a sublime lofted pass from Hauge. At 2-0 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate, the tie was effectively beyond the Serie A side.

Inter pushed desperately for a response. Federico Dimarco and Davide Frattesi squandered promising chances, while Manuel Akanji struck the post in a moment that summed up the hosts’ frustration.

Alessandro Bastoni eventually pulled one back in the 76th minute, bundling the ball over the line from close range, but it proved little more than consolation.

Goalkeeper Nikita Haikin was instrumental in preserving Bodo/Glimt’s advantage, producing a string of composed saves, including crucial stops from Dimarco’s set-piece and Francesco Pio Esposito’s header.

The Norwegian defence, marshalled with discipline, repelled wave after wave of Inter attacks, surviving a late flurry of corners and aerial assaults.

Inter dominated possession for long stretches but lacked precision in the final third, repeatedly failing to convert promising opportunities.

Marcus Thuram’s late header drifted harmlessly over the bar, symbolising a night of missed chances for the former finalists.

At the final whistle, Bodo/Glimt celebrated a landmark European achievement, eliminating one of Italy’s most decorated clubs over two legs with authority and tactical discipline.