Bodo/Glimt, the team from the small Norwegian town, sparked another miracle.

BODO, THURSDAY — Bodo/Glimt, a team from a small town in Norway, has once again sparked magic in the Champions League. With a significant victory in hand, Bodo/Glimt's path to the quarter-finals is open, and this debutant team can continue to pursue its dream.

Bodo/Glimt, which their head coach, Kjetil Knutsen, described as a team from this small northern town, continues its remarkable journey in the Champions League. This latest miracle came in the form of a 3-0 victory over Sporting CP in the first leg of the Round of 16 of the Champions League at Aspmyra Stadium, Bodo, on Thursday (12/3/2026) early morning WIB.

Sondre Brunstad Fet brought Bodo ahead with a penalty kick just after half an hour of the match, and Ole Didrik Blomberg extended the lead to two goals in stoppage time of the first half.

Kasper Hogh scored his fifth goal in the Champions League with 19 minutes remaining, causing the stadium to erupt. This victory marked the fifth consecutive positive result for Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League.

Kjetil is also pleased with the performance of his protégés. How could he not be, as despite having dominant ball possession, the team nicknamed "Superlaget" or the super team managed to play more clinically. A total of 10 shooting attempts resulted in 5 shots on target, compared to Sporting, which created 11 shots with only 2 on goal.

"I like the way we played, especially how we played in the first half. They gave us a lot of space and I think we took advantage of that space," Kjetil said to UEFA.

In the second half, Sporting was actually able to exploit the gaps in Bodo/Glimt's overly open play. In addition to having more ball possession, Sporting was able to apply pressure through counterattacks.

However, Sporting struggled to capitalize on opportunities. In fact, Kjetil also acknowledged that Bodo/Glimt's performance had declined in the second half. They also found it challenging to cope with Sporting's pressure.

The victory over Sporting continued the magical run for this Champions League debutant. Bodo/Glimt had already begun by defeating big teams, including Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, to advance from the league stage. They then defeated Inter Milan both home and away in the play-off round.

Patrick Berg and his teammates opened the opportunity to advance to the quarter-finals. In the second match next week, Wednesday (18/3/2026) early morning WIB, they only need a draw or a loss by a maximum of two goals to ensure a new history of qualifying for the last eight of the highest tier European competition.

Meanwhile, Sporting need a comeback at home, winning by at least four goals. This is a requirement they must meet if they are to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 1983, having secured a surprising seventh-place finish in the league to automatically qualify for the round of 16.

"(In the second leg), we just need to continue the way we defended as a team and attacked as a team. And I think we can make things difficult for them there as well," said Sondre Brunstad Fet.

The club captain Patrick Berg once stated that gaining experience playing at the highest level in the Blue Continent changes many things for a player. That experience is surreal, feeling unreal.

Moreover, Bodo/Glimt is "only" a small team from the small Norwegian town of Bodo. This town is located near the Arctic Circle, home to approximately 40,000 people.

However, with the opportunity to advance further at the highest level still intact, Patrick Berg and the team can continue to pursue what they feel every day. "We feel like we are living in a dream," said Berg.

Sporting defender Ivan Fresneda believes Bodø/Glimt deserved to win. However, Fresneda isn't ready to give up easily. He's confident the second leg belongs to him and his team.

"I think if there's one team that can win this second leg, it's us. We're a very good team, and I think we'll have more chances in the second leg," said Fresneda.