Norway’s Bodo/Glimt on Wednesday stunned Inter in the UEFA Champions League, beating last season’s runners-up 3-1 in the first leg of their playoff after Anthony Gordon scored four as Newcastle United hammered Qarabag 6-1 in Azerbaijan.
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid were held by Club Brugge in a thrilling 3-3 draw, while Bayer 04 Leverkusen took a big step toward reaching the last 16 by beating Olympiacos 2-0 away in Greece.
Bodo/Glimt, Norwegian champions in four of the past six years, made it to this stage after some impressive results during the league phase, including wins at home to Manchester City and away to Atletico in their final two games.
Photo: NTB via Reuters
The club from north of the Arctic Circle were therefore not afraid of the current Serie A leaders and went in front on 20 minutes through Sondre Brunstad Fet.
Francesco Pio Esposito equalized on the half-hour mark for three-time European champions Inter, the goal standing after a video assistant referee check despite an apparent handball in the buildup.
However, Bodo/Glimt went back in front just after the hour when Kasper Hogh’s brilliant layoff set up Jens Petter Hauge to score, and Hogh found the net himself three minutes later.
The result leaves Inter, who lost 5-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in last season’s Champions League final, facing a big challenge to overturn their two-goal deficit in next Tuesday’s return leg at San Siro in Milan.
The winners of the tie play either Manchester City or Sporting of Portugal in the last 16 next month.
Newcastle made short work of Qarabag on their long trip to Baku, with the outstanding Gordon netting two penalties among his four goals on the night — he now has 10 goals in nine matches in this season’s Champions League, a tally bettered only by Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe on 13.
Gordon’s clinical finish gave Newcastle a third-minute lead at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, and Malick Thiaw headed in for 2-0 after just eight minutes.
Former Everton winger Gordon then converted a penalty awarded for a handball just after the half-hour mark, and pounced on poor defending a minute later to complete his first professional hat-trick.
He then added a penalty for his fourth and his team’s fifth in first-half stoppage-time, with Jacob Murphy getting the visitors’ sixth in the second half after Elvin Jafarguliyev had pulled one back.
Next week’s return leg at St James’ Park should now be a mere formality, with a last-16 tie to come against Barcelona or Chelsea.
“It’s a tribute to the team today. We were really good in the first half. That’s as good as we have played in a long time,” Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said. “I know the tie isn’t over, but we are in a great position.”
In Belgium, Club Brugge came from 2-0 and then 3-2 down to earn a draw with Atletico and keep their playoff firmly in the balance ahead of next week’s second leg.
Julian Alvarez gave the Spaniards an early lead from the penalty spot at the Jan Breydelstadion, and Ademola Lookman finished from close range after Antoine Griezmann had flicked on an Alvarez corner in first-half stoppage-time.
Nigeria’s Raphael Onyedika pulled one back just after the break for the hosts and Nicolo Tresoldi equalized on the hour mark.
Atletico appeared to have won the game when Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez turned a cross into his own net, but Christos Tzolis made it 3-3 in the 89th minute.
“It was a roller coaster, like it’s been all season. We have to concentrate more,” Atletico captain Koke told broadcaster Movistar — his side are fourth in La Liga, well off the pace at the top, but hammered Barcelona 4-0 in their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg last week.
Leverkusen were seeking to avenge a 2-0 defeat away to Olympiacos last month as they returned to Piraeus and this time they were the winners by the same margin as Czech striker Patrik Schick scored twice in the space of four minutes in the second half.
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