Bodø/Glimt vs AZ betting tips: Europa Conference League preview, predictions and odds

By Ben Gray Published: March 8, 2022 12:46 pm

Bodoe/Glimt

2

-

1

AZ Alkmaar

Match ended

Show players

Solbakken, Ola

90'

Pellegrino, Amahl
Koomson, Gilbert

87'

Espejord, Runar
Boniface, Victor

84'

77'

Aboukhlal, Zakaria

75'

Evjen, Hakon

73'

Aboukhlal, Zakaria

60'

Witry, Aslak
Sowah, Kamal

60'

Pavlidis, Vangelis
Aboukhlal, Zakaria

Wembangomo, Brice

51'

45'

Witry, Aslak

Pellegrino, Amahl

39'

Starting lineup

Haikin, Nikita12

Sampsted, Alfons3

Moe, Brede18

Hoibraten, Marius4

Wembangomo, Brice5

Saltnes, Ulrik14

Hagen, Elias Kristoffersen23

Vetlesen, Hugo10

Pellegrino, Amahl11

Espejord, Runar28

Solbakken, Ola9

1Jensen, Peter

15Witry, Aslak

4Martins Indi, Bruno

3Chatzidiakos, Pantelis

5Wijndal, Owen

24Reijnders, Tijani

10De Wit, Dani

18Evjen, Hakon

11Karlsson, Jesper

9Pavlidis, Vangelis

2Sugawara, Yukinari

Substitutes

Smits, Joshua30

Kvile, Sigurd26

Mugisha, Joel32

Fet, Sondre19

Konradsen, Morten16

Boniface, Victor8

Koomson, Gilbert77

Nordas, Lasse24

16Reus, Beau

12Verhulst, Hobie

40Dekker, Maxim

31Beukema, Sam

26Kerkez, Milos

34Buurmeester, Zico

8Sowah, Kamal

29Meerdink, Mexx

23Taabouni, Mohamed

7Aboukhlal, Zakaria

Recommended bets

Bodø/Glimt have won their last seven European home matches, scoring 19 goals and conceding just two. AZ have won both of their previous ties against Norwegian clubs, beating Start in 1981 and Aalesund 30 years later.

Over 2.5 goals is 7/10.

Over 2.5 goals and both teams to score is 20/21.

Bodø/Glimt to win and over 2.5 goals is 10/3.

Ola Solbakken has scored six times in UEFA competition already this season. He is 9/1 to break the deadlock and 11/4 to net anytime.

Bodø/Glimt to win 2-1 against AZ- 10/1!

BET NOW

Match preview

ALKMAAR, NETHERLANDS – DECEMBER 15: Jesper Karlsson of AZ during the Dutch TOTO KNVB Cup match between AZ and Heracles at AFAS Stadion on December 15, 2021 in Alkmaar, Netherlands. (Photo by Patrick Goosen/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

Will Bodø/Glimt’s fairytale European adventure continue?

The Yellow Horde were only promoted back to Norway’s top-flight in 2017 but have since won back-to-back Eliteserien titles, in 2020 and 2021.

Last summer, they qualified for a UEFA group stage for the very first time, beating Valur Reykjavík, Prishtina and Žalgiris Vilnius in qualifiers.

Once there, Kjetil Knutsen won all three home games and drew all three on the road, memorably hammering Roma 6-1 in the Arctic Circle in October.

This set up a first knockout round tie meetings Celtic, in which Bodø/Glimt emphatically won 3-1 in Glasgow.

A week later, Ola Solbakken and Hugo Vetlesen got the goals as they completed a 5-1 aggregate drubbing of the Scottish giants.

Before this season, Bodø/Glimt’s best-ever European run was reaching Cup Winners’ Cup second round in 1978. so they’ve more than eclipsed that.

The win over Celtic was made all the more impressive because their new league season doesn’t start until 3 April.

They were supposed to face Aalesunds FK on Saturday in the Norwegian Cup, but the home side were forced to withdraw.

Thus, Kjetil Knutsen’s side have only played that tw0-legged tie against Celtic since a draw in Luhansk way back on 9 December.

Will they now win an eighth consecutive European home game?

AZ Alkmaar meanwhile are aiming to reach a fifth European quarter-final this century, after 2005, 2007, 2012 and 2014, only actually winning the first of this quartet.

The Cheeseheads began this campaign in the Europa League play-offs where they were narrowly beaten 3-2 by Celtic, losing 2-0 in Glasgow before a 2-1 victory at home.

This saw Pascal Jansen’s side drop into the Europa Conference League where they cruised to top spot in Group D, above Randers, Jablonec and Cluj.

Domestically, AZ have won their last five Eredivisie games so are fourth, which would be enough to guarantee European football next season.

So, they’re certainly in great form but this’ll be a tough challenge.

Can AZ break Bodø/Glimt’s formidable home record?

Bodø/Glimt team news

Bodo/Glimt’s Amahl Pellegrino (no.11 right) celebrates scoring their side’s second goal of the game during the UEFA Europa Conference League Last 16 First Leg match at Celtic Park, Glasgow. Picture date: Thursday February 17, 2022. (Photo by Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)

The hosts do not have any players suspended for this one but centre-back Marius Høibråten is one booking away from suspension.

In terms of transfers, key players Erik Botheim, Patrick Berg and Elias Hoff Melkersen all left the club in January for a combined €10 million.

Brice Wembangomo, Amahl Pellegrino, Anders Konradsen, Gilbert Koomson and Runar Espejord all came in the door on free transfers.

Wembangomo and Pellegrino were exceptional combining down the left at Celtic Park, while Espejord scored just six minutes into his debut.

Ola Solbakken is the other danger man having already netted six times in Europe this season.

AZ team news

VENLO – Owen Wijndal of AZ celebrates the victory during the Dutch Eredivisie match between VVV Venlo and AZ Alkmaar in the Covebo stadium De Koel on February 20, 2021 in Venlo, the Netherlands. ANP ED VAN DE POL (Photo by ANP Sport via Getty Images)

As for AZ, talismanic midfielder Dani de Wit and key centre-back Pantelis Chatzidiakos are walking the yellow card tightrope.

The latter will line-up alongside Bruno Martins Indi who helped Netherlands win bronze at the World Cup eight years ago.

In midfield, Tijjani Reijnders could get the nod the over Peer Koopmeiners as Jordy Clasie’s midfield partner, supporting de Wit.

Vangelis Pavlidis will lead the line, looking to add to his 15 goals this season.

Eredivisie table:

Eliteserien table:

– 101 Great Goals may earn commission from links on this page. Our content is always original. Note that all of our reviewers are compensated for contributing content to 101 Great Goals. Learn more.