Heads up, Sporting! Bodø/Glimt make Inter sweat in Norway | OneFootball

Inter, finalist of the last edition of the Champions League, was surprised in Norway by losing 3-1 to Bodo/Glimt, in the first leg of the playoff for access to the round of 16, held this Wednesday. The Italian team will now have to achieve a significant comeback at the Giuseppe Meazza to advance in the competition, with one of them set to face Sporting - which is gaining prominence in the Champions League - or Manchester City in the next phase.

The home team took the lead on the scoreboard just 15 minutes in, through Fet, who finished a quality play, with a backheel pass from Hogh freeing his teammate. Inter's defense, notably Acerbi, Mkhitaryan, and Bastoni, did not look good.

The response from the Nerazzurri came around the half-hour mark, with Pio Esposito restoring parity. The Italian forward capitalized on a cross from Barella and, after a deflection, shot accurately into Hajkin's net. The goal was validated by VAR.

However, the second half brought a dominant Bodo/Glimt. In just three minutes, the Norwegian team decided the match. At 61 minutes, former Milan player Hauge, assisted by Hogh, made it 2-1 with a strong left-footed shot, in a play that began with a poor clearance by Carlos Augusto. Shortly after, Hogh, the standout of the match with two assists, made it 3-1, tapping into an empty net after a pass from Blomberg.

Despite the defeat, Inter hit the posts twice, through Darmian and Lautaro Martínez, but showed little offensive fluidity. Bodo/Glimt's strategy, based on quick transitions and minimal touches, proved fatal for the Italian aspirations.

With this defeat, the team led by Chivu records their fourth loss in the current edition of the Champions League and sees their qualification at risk. The second leg is scheduled for Tuesday, February 24, at 8:00 PM, in Milan, where Inter will need to score at least two goals and concede none to dream of the round of 16.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.