Bodø/Glimt sends Inter crashing out of Champions League

MILAN (Reuters) -The Champions League playoffs delivered drama across Europe late Tuesday night, headlined by a stunning upset at the San Siro and a series of commanding aggregate victories that set the stage for Friday’s roundof-16 draw.

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NEWCASTLE UNITED'S Nick Woltemade (right) vies for the ball against Qarabag's Badavi Huseynov during their Champions League second leg at St. James' Park, from which Newcastle advanced

(Reuters)

The fairytale story of this season’s competition continued as Bodg/Glimt dumped last year’s finalist Inter Milan out of the tournament with a remarkable 2-1 win at the San Siro, sealing a 5-2 aggregate triumph.

After stunning Inter 3-1 in Norway, the visitors once again showed composure beyond their years. Despite early pressure from the host side, which dominated possession and forced several half-chances through Pio Esposito and Marcus Thuram, the breakthrough came against the run of play.

In the S8th minute, Ole Didrik Blomberg capitalized on a loose pass and drove toward goal. Yann Sommer parried his effort, but Jens Petter Hauge reacted quickest to fire home the rebound. Just 14 minutes later, Haakon Evjen effectively ended the tie, guiding a precise right-footed shot into the far corner.

Alessandro Bastoni pulled one back for Inter in the 77th minute, but it was too little, too late. The Norwegian side became the first club from the country to advance from a Champions League knockout tie.