BODO, Norway (AP) — The Champions League’s Cinderella club Bodø/Glimt is writing another chapter Wednesday in its fairytale run through the competition.
The homely Norwegian club led 2-0 at halftime against Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of a round of 16 clash at its tiny Aspmyra Stadium.
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Sporting is the latest favored team to struggle inside the Arctic Circle. Manchester City and Inter Milan were each beaten 3-1 on the artificial turf field since Bodø/Glimt started the year looking sure to fall short of the knockout rounds.
Bodø/Glimt led in the 32nd minute when Sondre Brunstad Fet scored with a penalty kick, deceiving Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva who dived right as the ball went low to his left.
Ole Blomberg added a second in first-half stoppage time, sliding in a low shot after the ball bounced through to him.
Neither of the goalscorers, Fet at age 29 and the 25-year-old Blomberg, has played for the Norway national team that is going to its first World Cup in a generation.
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The team from the Norwegian Sea fishing town would be the most unlikely Champions League quarterfinalist of recent years.
The winner after the return game in Lisbon next Tuesday will then play either Arsenal or Bayer Leverkusen who drew 1-1 Wednesday in the first leg in Germany.
The entire population of Bodø, just 55,000 people, could all fit inside Arsenal’s stadium.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
