Clinical display sees Bodo/Glimt win first leg of Champions League play-off vs NEC Nijmegen

[p]With a maiden UCL main draw appearance at stake, the Goffertstadion faithful were nervous, even if the hosts did shade the early minutes in terms of possession.[/p][p]Their nerves were not soothed by an apparent handball by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pereira-brayann/0QdFEL9A/"]Brayann Pereira[/a] on 11 minutes, only for a VAR review to see Francois Letexier overturn the decision.[/p][p][b]But that was a mere reprieve, and after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/helmersen-andreas/CCOrhY43/"]Andreas Helmersen[/a] forced a decent save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alejandro-gonzalo/Moj39S61/"]Gonzalo Crettaz[/a] at the end of a cross, some fancy footwork from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hauge-jens/ObARUGXQ/"]Jens Petter Hauge[/a] unlocked the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nijmegen/nRluRF0T/"]NEC[/a] backline, and he slid in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fet-sondre/SMsDunAE/"]Sondre Fet[/a] for a low finish at the near post.[/b][/p][p][b]Bodo continued to ask the questions, and after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/blomberg-ole/xYCt5N24/"]Ole Blomberg[/a] found himself denied by the quick thinking of Crettaz, he finally managed to make a contribution – albeit unwittingly – when he had his shirt tugged by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/storm-tobias/SvtNrNY2/"]Tobias Storm[/a] inside the box. There could be no doubt that it was a penalty, and Helmersen calmly stepped up, firing in down the middle as Crettaz dived to his left. [/b][/p][p]That was a good omen, since Helmersen had been on the winning side in his previous 11 goalscoring appearances for Bodo, including the crucial 117th-minute winner against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/royale-union-sg/407h8Ird/"]Union Saint-Gilloise[/a] in the previous round.[/p][embed guid="5b03dcfa-228a-4684-8f4e-f79a7520e997" url="https://x.com/necnijmegen/status/2090164121987621074" social-type="twitter" /][p]There would be no changes from either bench at half-time, and Bodo killed off the match – and seemingly even the tie itself – after a positive start to the second half.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aleesami-haitam/nBnUNaRE/"]Haitam Aleesami[/a] outjumped Pereira at the end of a fizzing corner delivery from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/berg-patrick/K4OUBDgo/"]Patrick Berg[/a], heading into the far corner past a helpless Crettaz. [/b][/p][p]At 3-0, it was difficult to see any feasible way back for NEC, and their subsequent slew of substitutions looked little more than arbitrary.[/p][p]Bodo's Helmersen should have converted a header at the far post, only for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nejasmic-darko/jgQESuEq/"]Darko Nejasmic[/a] to clear away via instinct rather than positional awareness.[/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="a1c2fa34-ab83-4924-b963-9382b9c9a58c" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="2bfdea94-1ea7-4097-9f3b-b65e81ebeac8" original-width="3840" original-height="2160" /][p]To give credit where due, though, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chery-tjarron/dtN3i4T7/"]Tjaronn Chery[/a] came close to giving NEC a lifeline, forcing a diving save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/khaikin-nikita/2L1WUcAP/"]Nikita Haikin[/a] at distance, as the Dutch side began to apply some real pressure.[/p][p][b]Eventually, the home side would get a late consolation, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tadic-dusan/Ic4oPYSF/"]Dusan Tadic[/a] flicked on for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bischoff-clement/jwJHH4rb/"]Clement Bischoff[/a] to convert at the far post after a rare break for NEC. [/b][/p][p]There was also a nervy moment that saw the hosts hit the post via a header, but Bodo were able to hold on to their two-goal lead.[/p][p]No Norwegian club had ever won a UCL qualification play-off away leg in seven attempts prior to tonight, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bodo-glimt/S0WZMUNG/"]Bodo[/a] losing in three of those. But it’s no surprise that Arctic warriors themselves – slayers of 2023 finalists [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Man City[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/Iw7eKK25/"]Inter[/a] only last term – are the team to break that curse.[/p][p]Their underdog spirit has only strengthened since last season on this evidence, and only a minor miracle can now save NEC as they prepare to travel into the Arctic circle, and somehow do what Europe’s finest failed to accomplish earlier this year.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chery-tjarron/dtN3i4T7/"]Tjaronn Chery[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nijmegen/nRluRF0T/"]NEC Nijmegen[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/bodo-glimt-S0WZMUNG/nijmegen-nRluRF0T/?mid=QDLeoRWA"]Click here for more on the match[/a][/b][/p][image alt="Match stats" id="ed131516-ce93-4d5e-896b-bff927a02226" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="d5a840fd-76b5-4435-9f15-1c082cff32fe" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /]