At the beginning of the match, one would think that Bodø are likely to go through given they have a 3-0 home victory in the first leg. However, it is very possible for Sporting to go through if they nick the first goal as the Norwegian side may have their confidence drop psychologically.
In the second minute, Francisco Trincao, the former Wolves creative player, had the chance to make the score 1-0 to Sporting with a header that went over the bar while unmarked in the box. Sporting had another similar chance in the fourth minute but were unable to take it.
In the opening phases, Sporting were all over Bodø without scoring as Trincao had other chances to give Sporting the lead in this first half. Luis Suarez had the next chance to make the score 1-0, but the goalkeeper Haikin makes a good save to his left hand side.
In terms of the shape, for Sporting Lisbon, Hujlmand joins Inacio and Quaresma to form a 3 at the back in the build-up. Sporting in the first twenty minutes have been searching for a goal which will put pressure on Bodø. Getting the ball to Geny has been a tactic for Sporting as he has quick feet and is able to take a player 1 on 1. Araujo and Geny are the ones staying wide trying to isolate the Bodo defenders and get the ball into the box.
Just to reiterate, it’s been all Sporting in the first half, as they are not afraid to commit men forward to get that elusive opening goal.
And it finally came. In the thirty-fourth minute, Sporting got their goal from a set-piece. It was the left-footed center-back Goncalo Inacio, and this goal, as I predicted earlier, may cause Bodø/Glimt to panic. Sporting have bossed this first half, and a 1-0 win actually seems to flatter their opposition as they have run this half quite easily, forcing the Bodø goalkeeper to do some work.
Martin Tyler began the second half by saying “some work to do”, which sums up all that is needed by Sporting to overcome the Norwegian team who sent home three-time Champions of Europe Inter Milan to progress to the last 16. Sporting Lisbon continue to commit men forward and to be honest, Geny Catamo has been a livewire spark in the second half, except for his end product. Sporting continue to pile up the pressure, forming a 3-2-5 as they attack. Hauge had a chance to get another goal in the tie but was well marshalled by the Sporting defence.
The Bodø team defend with a 4-3-3/4-4-2 when a player steps out into the midfield press. It’s a mid block, but it enables them to cede possession to the Portuguese team and asking them “can you break us down?”
And the answer to that in the second half is a resounding YES!
Luis Suarez teed up Pedro Gonçalves to tap into an empty goal to make the score 2-0. Now the deficit is just 1 frail goal which Bodø can easily concede. And the momentum continued with Lisbon committing men forward to tie up the score.
After he came on, Debast, who was a substitute, had a shot which stung the gloves of Haikin the goalkeeper. The next goal for the team in the Portuguese capital seemed to be almost a formality.
In the seventy-fifth minute, the Sporting players surrounded the ref asking for a penalty to be given due to a handball by Bjorkan, the Bodø number 15.
VAR had a check…
No sigh of relief for Bodø as the referee goes to the screen, and awards the penalty.
Luis Suarez, the Colombian, steps up and fires it to the goalkeeper’s right hand side.
GAME ON!!! Three apiece!
Now the nerves start to come for Bodø, as Sporting force set piece after set piece. One surprising stat is that the Norwegian team in the eighty-second minute actually have covered more ground than the Portuguese. Nuno Santos, a second-half Sporting substitute, strikes the post, and it would have been a fairy-tale ending after the winger’s recent injury problems.
I think Bodø could have been braver in hindsight and nicked an early goal, making it compulsory for Sporting to score more than four goals if they wanted to advance to the quarter-finals. They were a little too timid and just sat back in a shape and just asked to be broken down. Well done to Araujo and Geny who held the width for Sporting. It is becoming now a thing for teams to have both a wing-back and a winger hog the touchline out wide.
The ref blows for full time. Extra time and another thirty minutes loom for both teams.
The first half of extra-time started with Sporting having early dominance and making it count in the second minute with Maximiliano Araujo scoring less than ninety seconds into ET. Now Bodø have to be brave and commit men forward, something they haven’t done throughout the game. After this, Bodø had to finally come out to play, and seek a goal to drag the game to penalties.
The second half of extra-time saw more of Sporting keeping possession of the ball with Bodø trying to hit them on the counter. Araujo was then subbed off for Diomande to sure things up at the back with ten minutes of ET to play. Bodø are trying to be methodical and get efficient balls into the box. However, it won’t be enough.
Nel ended the hopes of Bodø, with a well taken goal after efficient pressing in the central area, and like Tyler said, Bodø have been swept aside in this second leg. Bodø after defeating the likes of Manchester City and Inter Milan, were no match for Sporting Lisbon for the 120 minutes as they bow out, but as heroes nonetheless.
Ore M. 
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