Bodø/Glimt 2-2 Tottenham: A Dramatic Arctic Draw as Spurs are Saved by Late Own Goal

BODØ, NORWAY – Tottenham Hotspur were forced to rely on an 89th-minute own goal to salvage a point in a dramatic 2-2 draw against Norwegian champions FK Bodø/Glimt on Tuesday night, in the first-ever UEFA Champions League match played inside the Arctic Circle.

The draw was a testament to Tottenham's character but a cause for concern regarding their performance, as the Premier League side were largely outplayed by the spirited home team, who will feel they let a historic victory slip away.

Glimt Dominance and a Missed Penalty

Playing on the artificial pitch of the Aspmyra Stadion, a venue where they had previously found success in the Europa League semi-final, Spurs looked disjointed and struggled to establish their usual rhythm. The home side, buoyed by a fervent atmosphere and determined to make their Champions League group stage home debut memorable, took the initiative early.

Bodø/Glimt's best chance of the first half came in the 35th minute when defender Fredrik Bjørkan was brought down by Rodrigo Bentancur for a penalty. However, striker Kasper Høgh, who had also missed a penalty in their first group game, unluckily skied his shot high over the bar, letting Tottenham off the hook and ensuring the first half ended goalless.

Hauge's Double Sets up a Shock

The second half saw the game explode into life. Just eight minutes after the restart, Bodø/Glimt finally got the breakthrough they deserved. Jens Petter Hauge, who proved a persistent menace down the left flank, cut inside and unleashed a superb curled shot into the far corner in the 53rd minute.

Tottenham thought they had an immediate response when Bentancur bundled the ball in from a Pedro Porro free-kick, but the goal was chalked off by VAR for a foul by Micky van de Ven in the build-up.

Undeterred, Hauge struck again in the 66th minute. After a lovely piece of skill to beat Pedro Porro, the Norwegian winger smashed a low shot into the bottom right corner, extending the shock lead to 2-0.

Spurs Show Character for Late Comeback

Trailing by two goals, Tottenham manager Thomas Frank's side finally displayed the "character and mentality" he would later praise. Two minutes after the second goal, stand-in captain Micky van de Ven rose powerfully to head home a fine cross from a Pedro Porro free-kick, pulling a goal back in the 68th minute.

The goal revitalized Spurs, and the game descended into a frantic end-to-end affair. Glimt nearly restored their two-goal cushion when Andreas Helmersen hit the top of the crossbar with a close-range effort.

The dramatic equaliser arrived in the 89th minute. A shot from substitute Archie Gray was saved by Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin, but the rebound deflected unluckily off substitute defender Jostein Gundersen and trickled over the line for a crucial own goal.

The 2-2 final score was a major disappointment for Bodø/Glimt, who deserved a historic victory for their dominant performance. For Tottenham, however, the late escape moved them onto four points and provided a valuable lesson in resilience, despite the overall lacklustre display.