Fatal penalties for Lazio: into the semifinals goes Bodo Glimt
The penalty kick lottery did not reward Lazio in the Europa League quarterfinals. The Biancocelesti, in fact, after managing to come back from a 0-2 loss in the first leg with Bodo Glimt were eliminated from the competition due to three mistakes from the penalty spot from the eleven meters.
Not even a third of the match passed and Lazio found the go-ahead goal in the 21st minute: Gundersen completely misjudged the goal, Isaksen took advantage to serve Castellanos in the center who mocked Haikin with a brilliant backheel. After the goal, the Biancocelesti continued to push in search of the second goal to put the qualification talk back on an even keel, and in the midst of the recovery they came very close with Zaccagni, whose header was printed on the crossbar.
In the second half, Lazio continued to press, but it was Bodo Glimt that was most dangerous in the 61st minute with Hogh who from an excellent position was hypnotized by Mandas. After a round of substitutions, the Capitolini were even more front-wheel-drive and in the midst of the recovery came the episode that made the Stadio Olimpico explode with joy: Nuno Tavares crossed to the second post for Romagnoli, who played a header into Noslin, who beat Haikin, putting the qualifying discussion back on an even keel.
In the extra time, the inertia is still on the side of the hosts, who complete the comeback operation in the 100th minute with Boulaye Dia, who ends an excellent action triggered by Guendouzi in the best possible way. In the second overtime, however, came another cold shower for Lazio, as Bodo put everything back on the table thanks to Helmersen’s goal in the 110th minute. Hurt by the goal conceded, the Baroni-coached team pushed back, but without being able to create any major danger. So it goes to penalty kicks.
The lottery from the eleven meters starts in the best way for Lazio, as Mandas immediately neutralizes Hauge’s shot. After consolidating the lead with Dia, however, it was Tchaouna and Noslin who betrayed the Biancocelesti, with the former having his shot parried by Haikin, while the latter kicked the penalty directly out of the goal mirror. With his back against the wall, Guendouzi kept his men afloat and Berg squandered the first match point by kicking high. At that point Castellanos has an opportunity to tie Lazio, but his shot is weak and is parried by Haikin, who takes Bodo Glimt into a European semifinal for the first time in Norwegian soccer history.
The latter is the first time in the history of Norwegian soccer.
In addition to the Bodo Glimt, Tottenham, which beat Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0, Atlhetic Bilbao, which defeated Glasgow Rangers 2-0, and Manchester United, which won with a pyrotechnic 5-4 victory over Lyon, also broke through to the semifinals.
