A late own-goal denied FK Bodø/Glimt their first win in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) proper after a timely equaliser rescued a point for an under-par Tottenham Hotspur in the first UCL league phase or group stage match on Norwegian soil in 17 years.
Key stats
- Tottenham Hotspur are undefeated in their last three games in the Champions League, their last longer unbeaten streak was from 4th October 2022 to 1st November 2022, a run of four games.
- Odin Bjørtuft attempted 80 passes in this game - it's the first time that a Bodø/Glimt player has attempted 80 passes or more in a single match in the Champions League
- Since the start of the 2023-24 season, Tottenham’s Pedro Porro (18) has assisted more goals than any other defender for a Premier League club across all competitions.
Highlights
Analysis
Bodo/Glimt were superb in the first-half but Tottenham found their way back with Archie Gray proving decisive for Spurs as a late substitute.
Match report
It may have been a rematch of last season’s UEFA Europa League (UEL) semi-final in which the English team triumphed, but for the opening 45 minutes, the Norwegians seemed out to avenge those defeats.
The home side’s domination should have resulted in them taking the lead in the 35th minute, when Rodrigo Bentancur brought down Fredrik André Bjørkan in the area while attempting to stop the latter’s cross from the byline.
This presented Kasper Høgh the chance to fire home his team’s first UCL goal, but the Danish striker blasted his penalty over.
Even the spurning of such a great chance could not knock the Norwegians out of their stride, and before the first half was over, they had twice gone close to getting the goal their play deserved.
Jens Petter Hauge fizzed his shot just wide of the post from the edge of the area, before Sondre Brunstad Fet hammered an effort into the ether from eight yards out.
Anyone expecting a Spurs’ reaction after the HT break was in for a rude awakening, as not only would Kjetil Knutsen’s side remain on top, but they would go one better and take the lead.
Hauge found a pocket of space inside the Tottenham area, and curled a dream of a strike into the far corner to etch his name into Glimt history. Tottenham’s reaction when it came was swift but stunted, as Betancur’s nonchalant flick looked to have drawn the visitors level, only to be ruled out for a shirt pull by Micky van de Ven in the build-up.
Hauge then spectacularly doubled his tally in the 66th minute, as he dropped his shoulder to make space and thrashed a left-foot strike into the bottom corner.
With the Aspmyra Stadion rocking, Van de Ven deflated the atmosphere somewhat as he headed home from Pedro Porro’s cross to set up a thrilling finale. A late flurry from the visitors saw Wilson Odobert head against the bar, with Jostein Gundersen’s late, unfortunate intervention breaking Norwegian hearts, as the ball ricocheted off him and into the net in time added on.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jens Petter Hauge (FK Bodø/Glimt)
Click here to see all the stats of the match.
Post-match comments
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank told TNT Sports: "I felt first that the mentality and the character of the players was very good.
"We stayed in the game, kept fighting, and that gave us a very good point, away from home, when you're 2-0 down in a Champions League game, and especially against a Bodo/Glimt team that are very good here. So we have to be happy with that.
"Again, we got back into that game and I think that is very positive.
"I think it's fair to say, especially in the first half, Bodo were better than us. We know they're exceptionally good at what they're doing. Very well coached.
"We struggled a bit defensively under their high pressure. We should've been braver on the ball. But after 2-0, we got into the game and I think we were the better team in the last parts."