Milan, 25 February (H.S.): Norway's Bodø/Glimt pulled off a stunning upset on Tuesday at the San Siro Stadium, defeating last season's runners-up Inter Milan 2-1 in the playoff second leg. With this victory, Bodø/Glimt clinched the tie 5-2 on aggregate, securing their maiden entry into the Champions League last-16.Having taken a 3-1 lead from the first leg in Bodø, the Norwegian side maintained dominance in the return fixture.
In the 58th minute, Jens Petter Hauge capitalized on a rebound from a saved shot by the goalkeeper to put his team ahead. Fourteen minutes later, Hakon Evjen sealed near-certainty with a precise right-footed strike, making it 2-0.This Arctic Circle outfit has enjoyed a fairy-tale campaign this season. They qualified for the playoffs with emphatic wins over Manchester City and Atlético Madrid in their final league-phase matches.
Following the first-leg triumph over Inter, Bodø/Glimt notched a third consecutive victory, fielding the same starting XI in the second leg.
Inter Milan started aggressively. Pio Esposito fashioned a chance with a header in the opening minutes, while Marcus Thuram's curling shot in the 15th minute narrowly missed the target. The home side sustained pressure throughout the first half, yet the score remained 0-0 at halftime.
Inter continued their onslaught in the second half. Appeals for a handball penalty were waved away by the referee, with the video assistant upholding the call.In the 58th minute, Ole Didrik Blomberg seized a loose pass in Inter's box and advanced toward goal. Yan Sommer parried his effort, but Hauge pounced swiftly on the rebound to score.Evjen's clinical finish in the 72nd minute all but confirmed the result.
Alessandro Bastoni pulled one back for Inter in the 77th minute, but it proved too little, too late.This triumph marks Bodø/Glimt as the first Norwegian club to advance beyond the Champions League knockout stage, etching a new chapter in European football history.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
