The UEFA Europa League quarterfinal between Lazio and Bodø/Glimt on April, 202, delivered a dramatic football spectacle that will be remembered for years. Lazio, playing at home in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, needed to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg against the Norwegian side.
Lazio pushed hard from the start. Valentín Castellanos opened the scoring in the 21st minute, giving the Italian side hope. The match intensified as Tijjani Noslin struck in stoppage time (90+3’), sending the tie into extra time. Boulaye Dia then put Lazio ahead 3-0 on the night with a goal in the 99th minute, seemingly sealing the comeback.
But Bodø/Glimt refused to surrender. Andreas Helmersen scored in the 109th minute, cutting the aggregate deficit and forcing a penalty shootout after the teams finished level on aggregate (3-3)5.
In the shootout, Bodø/Glimt’s goalkeeper Nikita Haikin became the hero, making a crucial save to deny Castellanos. The Norwegians triumphed 3-2 on penalties, eliminating Lazio and making history as the first Norwegian club to reach the Europa League semifinals.
Lazio’s European dream ended in heartbreak, while Bodø/Glimt’s fairytale run continues. The football world is left wondering: can the Norwegian underdogs go all the way?
