bodø/glimt vs inter — Bodo/Glimt 3-1 stuns Inter, Norwegians on brink of Champions League last 16
Bodo/Glimt produced a landmark European victory on 18 February 2026 (ET), beating Inter Milan 3-1 at home to carry a valuable lead into the second leg. The Norwegian side, still in their domestic off-season, overpowered one of Europe’s heavyweights with a decisive second-half surge that underlined their growing reputation on the continent.
Second-half burst turns the tie
After Sondre Fet gave the hosts the lead on 20 minutes, Inter fought back and Francesco Pio Esposito levelled before the interval. The contest, however, was flipped early in the second half when Jens Petter Hauge and Kasper Waarts Hogh struck inside three minutes to blow the match open. Hauge’s left-footed drive into the top corner on 61 minutes arrived from a quick counter, supplied by Hogh, and effectively stunned the visitors. The third arrived soon after when Ole Didrik Blomberg’s cross was finished off by Hogh, burying any hopes of a facile recovery for Inter.
Inter had earlier threatened, hitting the woodwork twice and forcing saves from Bodo’s goalkeeper. Matteo Darmian struck the post and Lautaro Martínez also hit the post, while Nicolo Barella tested keeper Nikita Haikin. Inter’s pressure did yield Esposito’s equaliser, but they were unable to withstand Bodo’s clinical response when the Norwegians moved up through the gears after the break.
Home conditions and freshness played their part
The match exposed several factors that made life difficult for the visitors. Bodo are still months away from their league campaign and enjoyed the advantages of a familiar artificial surface and a quieter schedule. Those elements, combined with careful tactical preparation, have allowed them to spring surprises this season against top opposition. The climate, pitch type and match rhythm in the Arctic circle are unusual conditions for many continental opponents; Bodo have used them to full effect in recent European fixtures.
Inter’s packed domestic schedule may have also contributed. Heavy fixture congestion leaves less time to prepare for specific opponents and manage fatigue. Even with a superior league position domestically and recent deep runs in the competition, the Italian side looked uncharacteristically blunt at times, unable to convert periods of pressure into a decisive comeback once Bodo seized control.
What the result means for the tie
The 3-1 scoreline hands Bodo/Glimt a clear advantage heading to the return leg in Italy. They carry two away goals in hand and the momentum of a confident display. For Inter, the task is straightforward in theory — overturn a two-goal margin — but the manner of the defeat emphasises that tactical discipline and sharper finishing will be required if they are to avoid an early exit.
Historically the clubs have almost no recent knockout history; their only prior European meetings were decades ago in a different competition. This tie is one of the rare knockout-stage encounters between Norwegian and Italian clubs in the Champions League era, and it now looks set for a tense return in Milan when the sides meet again to decide who advances to the last 16.
After a run of high-profile scalps in Europe, Bodo/Glimt’s fairytale continues — but the tie is far from over. Inter remain capable of mounting a comeback, but the visitors will need a far better second-leg performance to reverse a damaging first-leg deficit.
