Bodo/Glimt 2-2 Tottenham: Unconvincing Spurs salvage late point against spirited Norwegian champions
It was a largely underwhelming showing from Thomas Frank's side
Tottenham came back from two goals down to rescue a point in their Champions League clash away at Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday.
Jens Hauge hit a second-half brace as the Norwegian champions took a deserved lead before a Micky van de Ven header and late Jostein Gundersen own goal salvaged a draw for Thomas Frank’s side.
The north Londoners were largely underwhelming on their travels as they came up against a spirited Bodo team still searching for their first-ever Champions League victory.
Despite an unconvincing performance, the fact remains: Frank’s men are unbeaten in Europe’s elite club competition this term.
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Spurs freeze in the Arctic Circle
An impressive firework display greeted the Spurs players before kick-off in Norway but it was the hosts who started with a bang.
As little as five minutes had elapsed when Guglielmo Vicario in the visitors’ goal was forced to punch Bodo captain Patrick Berg’s effort over the bar.
Things weren’t to get much easier for Frank’s side as the Norwegian champions piled on the pressure, dominating possession and going close shortly after the quarter-of-an-hour mark through top scorer Kasper Hogh.
Spurs were living dangerously in the early stages and so it hardly came against the run of play when, in the 33rd minute, an overzealous Rodrigo Bentancur tried to block a cross from Fredrik Bjorkan but instead wiped out the Bodo full-back.
The referee had little option but to point to the spot. However, Hogh, who missed a penalty in matchday one for the hosts, blazed high over the goal.
It was a let off for Tottenham, who were fortunate to go into the break on level terms after the worst 45 minutes of Thomas Frank’s tenure so far.
But the seemingly inevitable would arrive less than 10 minutes after the restart, when Hauge cut in from the left before curling a fine finish into the far corner of the net.
It was the least Bodo deserved, although Tottenham’s response was instant. Just a 60 seconds after going behind, Bentancur had the ball in the Bodo net but his flick was chalked off for offside and it was the hosts’ turn to experience a let off.
The Londoners fight back
On the hour mark, Frank turned to the bench and brought Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus into the fray in the hope of salvaging something from the game.
But things would quickly get worse rather than better for the north Londoners. Pouncing on an Djed Spence error, Hauge picked up the ball, beat a defender before firing beyond Vicario to double his tally for the evening.
Again the Spurs response was immediate. However, this time, the goal stood, with Van de Ven heading home to halve the deficit from a pinpoint Pedro Porro delivery.
Momentum firmly with the visitors, Tottenham pushed for an equaliser that for so long seemed highly unlikely.
With five minutes remaining, Kudus’ cross found Wilson Odobert but the forward could only direct his header onto the post.
Bodo then hit the woodwork themselves through Andreas Helmersen before Spurs did carve out a late leveller courtesy of a scrappy Gundersen own-goal that was eventually given after a lengthy VAR check.