FK Bodo Glimt snatched a valuable 2-2 draw against Slavia Praha on the first matchday of the Champions League group stage. Sondre Brunstad Fet's introduction proved decisive, as he scored a great goal in the 90th minute to level the score after the Norwegians had been 2-0 down.
A volley from Fet, on the counter-attack in the 90th minute, gave FK Bodo Glimt an unexpected draw against Slavia Praha. The Norwegian side, 2-0 down with a quarter of an hour to go, managed to rally when all seemed lost, inflicting a bitter disappointment on the Czechs: their first Champions League win in 18 years remains a mirage.
The last one dates back to 19 September 2007, against Steaua Bucharest. Once again, Slavia Praha saw the three points slip away, despite two goals from Youssoupha Mbodji and decisive saves from Stanek – including one from Daniel Bassi's penalty – which had secured their two-goal lead.
The Czech team has a clear identity: intensity, pressing, second balls and verticality, with a fast and direct game that mainly exploits the right flank. It is an aggressive and spectacular style, but one that leaves gaps at the back. For over an hour, they caused FK Bodo Glimt, who were making their debut in the Champions League after their run to the Europa League semi-finals last year, great difficulty.
Slavia Praha broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute, with a sustained attack down the right finished off by Mbodji at the far post. Then Stanek denied Evjen and Hauge an equaliser, consolidating the home side's dominance. At the start of the second half, the goalkeeper outdid himself by saving a penalty from Daniel Bassi, before Mbodji scored his second in the 75th minute.
Match over? Not for FK Bodo Glimt. A goal from Daniel Bassi, after a scramble in the area, reopened everything and set up a fiery finale. Slavia Praha came close to making it 3-1 on several occasions, also hitting the post, but suddenly the hammer blow struck: exposed defence, lethal counter-attack and a volley from Fet that silenced the stadium. The 2-2 draw was sealed in the 111th minute by another decisive save from Haikin, bringing to a close a Champions League night of Norwegian epic proportions.