Bodo/Glimt’s Champions League fairytale ends as Sporting CP overturn 3-0 first-leg deficit

Lisbon, Portugal – The Arctic dream is over. Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt, a club from a town of 42,000 that sits above the Arctic Circle, saw their maiden Champions League voyage crash in spectacular fashion on Tuesday night, as Sporting CP roared back from a 3-0 first-leg hole to win 5-0 after extra-time and book a quarter-final place.

Seven days after Kjetil Knutsen’s side stunned the Portuguese title-holders in the snow of northern Norway, the Lions of Lisbon produced one of the competition’s most memorable reversals, becoming only the fifth team in Champions League history to wipe out a three-goal first-leg deficit.

Centre-back Goncalo Inacio nodded the hosts ahead early, igniting the Jose Alvalade. Midfielder Pedro Goncalves doubled the advantage after the hour, and when Bodo defender Fredrik Bjorkan was penalised for handball in the 78th minute, Colombian striker Luis Suarez slammed home the spot-kick to level the aggregate. Maximiliano Araujo struck in the second minute of extra-time to edge Sporting in front, and substitute Rafael Nel slammed a fifth in the dying moments to seal a 5-3 aggregate triumph.

The result ends Bodo/Glimt’s headline-grabbing debut campaign. In the league phase the Norwegian rookies shocked Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, scraped into 23rd place, then ousted 20-time Italian champions Inter in the knockout play-off, winning 3-1 at home and 2-1 at San Siro – the first time a Norwegian club has ever progressed in a Champions League knockout tie.

Sporting, quarter-finalists only once before in their history, now await the winner of Arsenal versus Bayer Leverkusen for a place in the last four next month.