BODØ/GLIMT, NORWAY — In one of the Champions League's most remarkable upsets, Bodo/Glimt dismantled Inter Milan 3-1 at Aspmyra Stadion, with second-half strikes from Jens Petter Hauge and Kasper Høgh stunning the Italian giants. The Norwegian champions, languishing in 32nd place with just two points, produced a clinical display to hand fourth-placed Inter their second defeat of the campaign and breathe life into their own European ambitions.
The opening exchanges belonged to the visitors, who controlled 57.6% of possession and pinned Bodo/Glimt back for long stretches. Inter's intent was clear from the 20th minute when Sondre Fet broke the deadlock against the run of play, slotting a right-footed effort into the bottom left corner after excellent work from Kasper Høgh. The goal silenced the traveling support and gave the hosts an unexpected advantage.
Inter's response was swift and purposeful. Nicolò Barella tested Nikita Haikin in the 28th minute with a right-footed shot from the center of the box, forcing a top-center save after Lautaro Martínez's headed assist. The pressure finally told in the 30th minute when Francesco Pio Esposito restored parity, firing home from the center of the box to level proceedings. The Italian midfielder's clinical finish capped a period of sustained Inter dominance, with the visitors creating chance after chance.
Patrick Berg nearly restored Bodo/Glimt's lead in the 37th minute, but his right-footed effort from distance was comfortably gathered by Yann Sommer. The first half ended with Inter looking the more likely victors, having registered more attempts and controlled the territorial battle. Francesco Pio Esposito received a yellow card in first-half stoppage time for a foul on Fredrik Bjørkan, a booking that would prove costly as Inter chased the game later.
The second half began with Inter threatening immediately. Lautaro Martínez struck the right post within seconds of the restart, with Francesco Pio Esposito providing the assist. Carlos Augusto then forced Haikin into action in the 48th minute, his left-footed shot from outside the box saved centrally after Barella's clever pass. The Norwegian goalkeeper was called upon again moments later, tipping Kasper Høgh's effort over the bar as Bodo/Glimt began to find their rhythm.
The match turned dramatically in a three-minute spell that will be replayed in Bodø for years to come. In the 61st minute, Jens Petter Hauge unleashed a magnificent left-footed strike from the left side of the box, curling the ball into the top left corner after Høgh's intelligent assist. The Aspmyra Stadion erupted, and before Inter could regroup, Bodo/Glimt struck again. Høgh himself got on the scoresheet in the 64th minute, poking home from very close range after Ole Didrik Blomberg's delivery to make it 3-1.
Inter manager Simone Inzaghi responded by introducing Marcus Thuram for Lautaro Martínez, but the substitution failed to spark a comeback. The statistics reflected Inter's dominance in possession and shot volume—15 attempts to Bodo/Glimt's eight—yet the hosts' ruthless efficiency told the story. Bodo/Glimt put six of their eight shots on target, a 75% conversion rate that Inter's four from 15 could not match. Yann Sommer and Nikita Haikin each made three saves, but it was the Norwegian goalkeeper who could celebrate a clean sheet in the second half.
The tactical battle saw Inter's Alessandro Bastoni and Francesco Acerbi struggle to contain Bodo/Glimt's quick transitions. Ole Didrik Blomberg was shown a yellow card in the 77th minute for a foul on Ange-Yoan Bonny, but by then the damage was done. Inter threw bodies forward in the closing stages, with Piotr Zielinski's 82nd-minute effort from outside the box sailing too high. Andreas Helmersen nearly added a fourth in the 81st minute, his left-footed shot from the left side of the box saved by Sommer after Hauge's assist.
The final whistle sparked jubilant scenes among the home supporters, who had witnessed their team produce one of the great Champions League performances. Bodo/Glimt's ability to absorb pressure and strike with devastating precision proved the difference, with Hauge and Høgh forming a lethal partnership that Inter's vaunted defense could not contain. The Norwegian side committed 12 fouls to Inter's six, reflecting their determination to disrupt the visitors' rhythm, while both teams shared three corners apiece in a match that defied the pre-game expectations.
For Inter, the defeat raises serious questions about their ability to secure a top-four finish in the Champions League standings. Having entered the match with 12 points and a plus-nine goal difference, this loss to a team with just two points represents a significant setback. The Nerazzurri's inability to convert territorial dominance into goals will concern Inzaghi, particularly with crucial fixtures ahead.
The result caps a fine run for Bodo/Glimt before facing their next challenge. Inter Milan host Lecce on February 22, where they will seek to bounce back from this humbling defeat and reassert their credentials in the race for European qualification.