Bodo/Glimt’s historic Champions League run was ended by a Sporting side that rallied from a three-goal first-leg deficit to win in extra time and advance to the quarterfinals.
Norwegians Bodo/Glimt were one of the storylines of this season’s competition, becoming the first team from their country to reach the knockout round on their debut, defeating last year’s finalists Inter Milan in the playoffs.
They extended their winning streak by defeating Sporting 3-0 in the first leg of this tie, but they knew they’d face a tougher challenge in Portugal.
So it proved, as the Bodo goal was hammered with shots in the first half before Sporting broke through when Goncalo Inacio scored.
The visitors defended for the majority of the opening 45 minutes, although Odin Bjortuft’s header from their first corner of the game hit the woodwork.
However, Sporting ensured an anxious final 30 minutes when Luis Suárez squared for Pedro Goncalves to blast into the roof of the net, bringing Sporting within one goal of leveling the tie.
From then on, it was wave after wave of Sporting attempts, and they leveled the tie on aggregate when Suarez coolly scored from the penalty spot after Fredrik Bjorkan was found to have handled the ball following a visual assistant referee review.
Sporting pushed for the winner in normal time, and Nuno Santos hit the base of the post with a shot from outside the box.
However, while extra time was required, Sporting scored in the 92nd minute when Maxi Araujo drove in to put the hosts ahead on aggregate before Rafael Nel’s late goal completed the comeback victory and terminated Bodo/Glimt’s fairytale Champions League campaign.
