Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt stunned Italian side Lazio with a deserved 2-0 win in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final. The match was played in freezing conditions north of the Arctic circle, but the home side made their efforts worthwhile with two goals from Ulrik Saltnes.
Saltnes took the lead in the 47th minute with a poked close-ranged finish, and he scored his second goal of the season’s competition in the 69th minute with a brilliant lob over Lazio keeper Christos Mandas. The lob was set up by a fine chipped pass from Jens Petter Hauge.
The two goals reflected Bodo/Glimt’s dominance, and the Norwegian side will try to capitalise on their lead when the two sides meet next Thursday for their second leg in Rome. Volunteers were needed to clear snow from the pitch before kick-off after a heavy fall on Wednesday night, but the home side made the most of the conditions.
Bodo/Glimt are competing in a quarter-final of a major European competition for just the second time, having lost 5-2 on aggregate to Lazio’s city rivals Roma in the 2021-22 Conference League. On that occasion, they won the first leg 2-1 at home before suffering a 4-0 loss in the Italian capital.
Lazio, on the other hand, topped the table in the Europa League’s opening league phase this season and are hoping to reach the semi-finals of a major European tournament for the first time since they were beaten by Jose Mourinho’s Porto in the last four of the 2002-03 Uefa Cup. They will need to improve significantly if they are to overcome Bodo/Glimt’s lead in the second leg.
The win is a significant achievement for Bodo/Glimt, and they will be confident of progressing to the semi-finals after their impressive performance. The second leg promises to be an exciting encounter, with Lazio needing to overturn a two-goal deficit to progress in the competition.