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Free Malaysia Today
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Free Malaysia Today
Saltnes seeks sweet upset as Bodo/Glimt aim for Europa final
Midfielder Ulrik Saltnes said they are still huge underdogs. (EPA Images pic) LONDON : Bodo/Glimt may be behind 3-1 on aggregate against Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur after the first leg of their Europa League semi-final in London, but the Norwegians have some pedigree against more illustrious foes. And a late goal by midfielder Ulrik Saltnes gave the club from inside the Arctic Circle a lifeline ahead of the home leg. 'It was more of a relief that we were able to lift ourselves a little and get into the game,' Saltnes told Reuters. 'We are still huge underdogs, but at least now it will be a battle!' Bodo/Glimt are used to battling in Europe and have taken some notable scalps this season. In the quarterfinals, they looked dead and buried in extra time of the second leg against Lazio in Rome, only for Andreas Helmersen to score an unlikely equaliser and force a penalty shootout, which they won. It is the latest in a series of never-say-die performances in Europe that stems from a club ethos that favours process over results, allowing them to keep cool even when under the cosh. Saltnes has experienced all the highs and lows of European football in this campaign, scoring twice in the first leg at home to Lazio but then being taken off after 57 minutes in Rome as that two-goal cushion was erased, forcing extra time. The 32-year-old wondered aloud after the first leg if two chances he spurned in the second half might come back to haunt him, but as he sat and watched the penalty drama unfold, he said he could barely remember the misses. 'Nothing to lose' 'No, not really – it was so emotional and exciting to watch that I couldn't think about anything else but the game and supporting the lads,' he said. Fortunately, his teammates, and in particular goalkeeper Nikita Haikin, came to the rescue, winning the shootout in the cauldron of Rome's Olympic stadium to put them one game away from a European final – if they can turn the two-goal deficit against Spurs around at home. 'I think they will play very similarly to the last game. We have absolutely nothing to lose, and we just have to attack as best we can,' Saltnes explained. 'We have to keep a cool head – it's no use thinking we're going to win the game in 10 minutes. A lot can happen, and we just have to focus on ourselves, even though we know it's going to be an incredibly big challenge.' Saltnes has spoken about how he considered quitting the game before Bodo began riding the crest of a wave that has seen them win four league titles since 2020. A major catalyst came when performance coach Bjorn Mannsverk – a former Norwegian air force fighter pilot with no football background – was brought in, and together with coach Kjetil Knutsen, instilled a focus away from winning towards simply performing at their best in every moment. Come Thursday, the town of Bodo will again troop down to the Aspmyra stadium, a ten-minute walk from the local airport, to welcome the team onto the field as fireworks are shot into the sky and AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' blasts from the speakers. Journalists visiting the tiny ground, which holds just over 8,000 spectators, will report to the world from a press room behind one of the goals that is located above a supermarket and used as a classroom during the day, complete with children's drawings hanging on the walls. With the final set to take place in Bilbao on May 21, Thursday's second leg will be the last game of the current season at Aspmyra. 'Of course, making the final would be great, but I don't think it would change much,' Saltnes said. 'The experiences you have along the way are much more important than where you end up, I think.' Witness football history in Malaysia as Manchester United take on the Asean All-Stars – it's the clash you can't afford to miss. Book your seat now at before they're gone!
CNA
07-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Saltnes seeks sweet upset as Bodo/Glimt aim for Europa final
Bodo/Glimt may be behind 3-1 on aggregate against Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur after the first leg of their Europa League semi-final in London, but the Norwegians have some pedigree against more illustrious foes. And a late goal by midfielder Ulrik Saltnes gave the club from inside the Arctic Circle a lifeline ahead of the home leg. 'It was more of a relief that we were able to lift ourselves a little and get into the game,' Saltnes told Reuters. 'We are still huge underdogs, but at least now it will be a battle!' Bodo/Glimt are used to battling in Europe and have taken some notable scalps this season. In the quarter-finals, they looked dead and buried in extra time of the second leg against Lazio in Rome, only for Andreas Helmersen to score an unlikely equaliser and force a penalty shootout, which they won. It is the latest in a series of never-say-die performances in Europe that stems from a club ethos that favours process over results, allowing them to keep cool even when under the cosh. Saltnes has experienced all the highs and lows of European football in this campaign, scoring twice in the first leg at home to Lazio but then being taken off after 57 minutes in Rome as that two-goal cushion was erased, forcing extra time. The 32-year-old wondered aloud after the first leg if two chances he spurned in the second half might come back to haunt him, but as he sat and watched the penalty drama unfold, he said he could barely remember the misses. 'NOTHING TO LOSE' 'No, not really – it was so emotional and exciting to watch that I couldn't think about anything else but the game and supporting the lads,' he said. Fortunately his teammates, and in particular goalkeeper Nikita Haikin, came to the rescue, winning the shootout in the cauldron of Rome's Olympic stadium to put them one game away from a European final – if they can turn the two-goal deficit against Spurs around at home. 'I think they will play very similarly to the last game. We have absolutely nothing to lose, and we just have to attack as best we can,' Saltnes explained. 'We have to keep a cool head – it's no use thinking we're going to win the game in 10 minutes. A lot can happen, and we just have to focus on ourselves, even though we know it's going to be an incredibly big challenge.' Saltnes has spoken about how he considered quitting the game before Bodo began riding the crest of a wave that has seen them win four league titles since 2020. A major catalyst came when performance coach Bjorn Mannsverk - a former Norwegian air force fighter pilot with no football background - was brought in, and together with coach Kjetil Knutsen, instilled a focus away from winning towards simply performing at their best in every moment. Come Thursday, the town of Bodo will again troop down to the Aspmyra stadium, a ten-minute walk from the local airport, to welcome the team onto the field as fireworks are shot into the sky and AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' blasts from the speakers. Journalists visiting the tiny ground, which holds just over 8,000 spectators, will report to the world from a press room behind one of the goals that is located above a supermarket and used as a classroom during the day, complete with children's drawings hanging on the walls. With the final set to take place in Bilbao on May 21, Thursday's second leg will be the last game of the current season at Aspmyra. 'Of course, making the final would be great, but I don't think it would change much," Saltnes said.
Reuters
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Saltnes seeks sweet upset as Bodo/Glimt aim for Europa final
Summary Norwegian side go into semi-final second leg 3-1 down Saltnes goal gave Bodo/Glimt hope against Spurs Europa League final spot in Bilbao at stake May 6 (Reuters) - Bodo/Glimt may be behind 3-1 on aggregate against Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur after the first leg of their Europa League semi-final in London, but the Norwegians have some pedigree against more illustrious foes. And a late goal by midfielder Ulrik Saltnes gave the club from inside the Arctic Circle a lifeline ahead of the home leg. 'It was more of a relief that we were able to lift ourselves a little and get into the game,' Saltnes told Reuters. 'We are still huge underdogs, but at least now it will be a battle!' Bodo/Glimt are used to battling in Europe and have taken some notable scalps this season. In the quarter-finals, they looked dead and buried in extra time of the second leg against Lazio in Rome, only for Andreas Helmersen to score an unlikely equaliser and force a penalty shootout, which they won. It is the latest in a series of never-say-die performances in Europe that stems from a club ethos that favours process over results, allowing them to keep cool even when under the cosh. Saltnes has experienced all the highs and lows of European football in this campaign, scoring twice in the first leg at home to Lazio but then being taken off after 57 minutes in Rome as that two-goal cushion was erased, forcing extra time. The 32-year-old wondered aloud after the first leg if two chances he spurned in the second half might come back to haunt him, but as he sat and watched the penalty drama unfold, he said he could barely remember the misses. 'NOTHING TO LOSE' 'No, not really – it was so emotional and exciting to watch that I couldn't think about anything else but the game and supporting the lads,' he said. Fortunately his teammates, and in particular goalkeeper Nikita Haikin, came to the rescue, winning the shootout in the cauldron of Rome's Olympic stadium to put them one game away from a European final – if they can turn the two-goal deficit against Spurs around at home. 'I think they will play very similarly to the last game. We have absolutely nothing to lose, and we just have to attack as best we can,' Saltnes explained. 'We have to keep a cool head – it's no use thinking we're going to win the game in 10 minutes. A lot can happen, and we just have to focus on ourselves, even though we know it's going to be an incredibly big challenge.' Saltnes has spoken about how he considered quitting the game before Bodo began riding the crest of a wave that has seen them win four league titles since 2020. A major catalyst came when performance coach Bjorn Mannsverk - a former Norwegian air force fighter pilot with no football background - was brought in, and together with coach Kjetil Knutsen, instilled a focus away from winning towards simply performing at their best in every moment. Come Thursday, the town of Bodo will again troop down to the Aspmyra stadium, a ten-minute walk from the local airport, to welcome the team onto the field as fireworks are shot into the sky and AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' blasts from the speakers. Journalists visiting the tiny ground, which holds just over 8,000 spectators, will report to the world from a press room behind one of the goals that is located above a supermarket and used as a classroom during the day, complete with children's drawings hanging on the walls. With the final set to take place in Bilbao on May 21, Thursday's second leg will be the last game of the current season at Aspmyra. 'Of course, making the final would be great, but I don't think it would change much," Saltnes said. "The experiences you have along the way are much more important than where you end up, I think.'
The Independent
01-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Tottenham vs Bodo/Glimt prediction: Will Spurs capitalise on home advantage?
Tottenham vs Bodo/Glimt tips: Tottenham to win by two goals - 10/3 Bet365 Tottenham host Bodo/Glimt on Thursday, desperate to keep up their good run in the Europa League and give themselves a chance of picking up their first piece of silverware in 17 years. This is the furthest they have gone in the competition since 1984, when they won the competition with a 4–3 penalty win over Anderlecht, after both legs of the final finished 1-1. They also won the tournament in its inaugural year in 1972, beating Wolves 3-2 over two legs and reached the final two years later but were beaten 4-2 by Feyenoord. Thursday's opponents are relatively new to this competition, with this only their sixth appearance, and they've already gone further than ever before. Previously, they had only got past the first round once and that was during the 2022/23 season when they reached the group stage but won only one of their six matches. This season they have won seven matches, so far, and surprised many, including Porto, Besiktas, Olympiakos and Lazio, who they beat on penalties in the last round after the tie ended 3-3 on aggregate. But that only tells half of the story. They won their home leg 2-0 but were trailing 3-0 in extra time before Andreas Helmersen pulled a goal back before he was sent off, and the game went to penalties, with goalkeeper Nikita Haikin saving the decisive spot kick. Football betting sites have Spurs as the favourites to lift the trophy in Bilbao at odds of 15/8 while you can get 14/1 on the Norwegian side being crowned champions. Spurs too strong on the night Spurs' form has surprised many this season too, but not in a good way, after 19 defeats has left them two places above the relegation zone and 23 points off the top five. They reached the semi-final of the League Cup before losing to Liverpool and won seven times in this competition, including three times away from home, to reach the last four. They go into the game on the back of three straight defeats in the league at an aggregate score of 11-4, the positive that Spurs can take though is that they have scored in eight of their last 10 matches and have scored an impressive 97 goals in all competitions this season, so you would fancy them over two legs. Understandably betting sites are backing Spurs for the win on the night at odds of 31/100, while you can get 9/1 on Bodo /Glimt and 5/1 on a draw. Kjetil Knutsen's side have kept just one clean sheet on the road in the competition this season, and they have lost four of their last five away Europa League matches, drawing the other, so we have to back Spurs to make home advantage pay. They have only lost two of their last 13 European matches and are unbeaten in their last 13 Europa League games at home, winning 10 and drawing three. Please gamble responsibly When having a bet, it's vital to practice responsible gambling. Betting can be addictive and it's important to stay in control of your betting. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop. Gambling sites offer punters tools, such as deposit limits, profit and loss trackers, and self-exclusion options, to help them stay in control. But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don't hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.
