Brave Bodo/Glimt snatch 2-2 draw with Slavia Prague in Champions League debut
Norway's Bodo/Glimt pulled off a sensational comeback to draw 2-2 away to Slavia Prague in their first ever Champions League group game on Wednesday, with substitute Sondre Brunstad Fet netting the 90th-minute equaliser.
Having built a reputation in Europe for devil-may-care football no matter who they face, the club from inside the Arctic Circle did not disappoint, putting in a battling performance that could easily have finished 5-5.
The Norwegians, who made a remarkable run to the semi-finals of last season's Europa League where they lost to English side Tottenham Hotspur, started well. But they were punished in the 23rd minute when fullback Youssoupha Mbodji ghosted in at the back post to tap home Lukas Provod's pass.
The step up in class to the Champions League proved tough for Kjetil Knutsen's side. At times brilliant in attack, they looked all at sea defensively and in midfield on occasion, sending numerous passes astray.
Glimt's Danish striker Kasper Hogh had a chance to level from the spot nine minutes into the second half, but his penalty was saved, and that miss proved even more costly when Mbodji volleyed home his second of the night in the 74th minute.
LIFELINE
Caught napping for the second goal, Bodo substitute Daniel Bassi made amends by pulling a goal back four minutes later, firing home at the second attempt to throw his side a lifeline.
However, the visitors continued to play with fire and Slavia Prague wasted a number of gilt-edged chances to put the game out of sight, with Bodo keeper Nikita Haikin a giant between the posts.
Somehow, they managed to weather the storm before Brunstad Fet blasted the equaliser in off the underside of the crossbar, with Haikin pulling off another brilliant stop deep into stoppage time to ensure they snatched an unlikely point.
"It's a boyhood dream come true, and to get a goal is absolutely crazy," Fet told reporters.
"It was a great strike, and it's certainly the goal I've been happiest and most emotional about scoring."
Coach Knutsen gave his usual frank assessment.
"When we're two goals down and waste a penalty kick, we're living dangerously ... I think we show incredible morale, and that's something you need to have at this level," he said. "Towards the end of the match we were incredibly lucky, because we lost it (control of the game) completely."
Luckily for Knutsen, Bodo had Haikin between the posts.
"It's match after match after match. He is a very good international (standard) keeper," the 56-year-old coach said.
