Bodø/Glimt has become a darling of football fans far beyond Norway’s borders after its strong performance in the Europa League this spring. It missed getting into the finals, though, and now it’s also lost its chance at winning Norway’s own cup.
It’s been a disappointing week for the team that sports bright yellow uniforms and has wildly enthusiastic fans at home. After stunning crowds and sports reporters all over Europe it ended up losing twice to the much larger Tottenham of London, which will be the team facing Manchester United in the Europa League finals instead.
Now Bodø/Glimt has also been knocked out of Norway’s own annual cup drama, after losing to Ålesund on Monday night by a score of 1-0. State broadcaster NRK was among those reporting how the Ålesund team “shocked Bodø/Glimt” in just the third round of the annual Norwegian championship. Tottenham’s victory five days earlier wasn’t such a shock, even though Bodø/Glimt rarely loses at home. Now it was also Ålesund’s turn to have the home turf advantage, and even prevent Glimt from scoring at all.
Bodø/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen took responsibility, since he’d decided to spare several of his players and made as many as eight changes to the lineup from last week’s losing match against Tottenham. Commentators, meanwhile, called Ålesund’s performance “heroic,” and now it will advance in the Norwegian championship round.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
