03/11/26 05:15:00
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03/11 17:13 CDT Champions League's Cinderella club Bodo/Glimt shines again by
beating Sporting Lisbon 3-0
Champions League's Cinderella club Bodo/Glimt shines again by beating Sporting
Lisbon 3-0
BODO, Norway (AP) --- The Champions League's Cinderella club Bodo/Glimt wrote
another chapter Wednesday in its fairytale run through the competition.
The homely Norwegian club won 3-0 against Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of a
round-of-16 clash at its tiny Aspmyra Stadium.
Sporting became the latest favored team to travel far north and struggle inside
the Arctic Circle this year.
Manchester City and Inter Milan were each beaten 3-1 on the artificial turf
field since Bodo/Glimt began the year looking sure to fall short of reaching
the knockout rounds.
It is now a remarkable five straight wins in the Champions League --- all
during the offseason in Norway. The country's domestic league does not start
until this weekend.
Bodo/Glimt led in the 32nd minute when Sondre Brunstad Fet scored with a
penalty kick, deceiving Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva who dived right as the
ball went low to his left.
Ole Blomberg added a second in first-half stoppage time, sliding in a low shot
after the ball bounced through to him.
Center forward Kasper Hogh added a third in the 71st being strong in the
goalmouth to connect with Jens Petter Hauge's hard-driven low cross. It was
Hogh's fifth goal in the five-win streak.
None of the goalscorers has even played for their national team. Fet at age 29
and the 25-year-old Blomberg are yet to be selected for Norway which is soon
going to its first World Cup in a generation.
Hogh, also 25, has not been picked for Denmark, which is in a World Cup
qualifying playoffs bracket this month.
The team from the Norwegian Sea fishing town would be the most unlikely
Champions League quarterfinalist of recent years. APOEL from Cyprus reached the
last eight in 2012 and was beaten by Real Madrid.
The winner after the return game in Lisbon next Tuesday will advance to play
either Arsenal or Bayer Leverkusen who drew 1-1 Wednesday in the first leg in
Germany.
The entire population of Bodo, just 55,000 people, could all fit inside
Arsenal's stadium.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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