20/02/2026

SPORTS FRIDAY | FEB 20, 2026

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BODO/GLIMT continued their remarkable debut Champions League campaign with a 3-1 victory over Inter Milan in the knockout playoff round first leg yesterday, as Kasper Hogh scored once and created two other goals. The Norwegians only snuck into the knockout stage with shock victories over Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in their final two league-phase matches. Kjetil Knutsen’s men backed up those performances by adding last season’s runners-up Inter to their list of scalps. Cristian Chivu’s Serie A leaders will still be confident of turning the tie around in the second leg at the San Siro next week, despite struggling on the artificial pitch of the Aspmyra Stadion in northern Norway. “(Bodo/Glimt) are more accustomed to this pitch, that’s not an excuse,” Chivu said. “The tie is wide open, there’s the return leg to come. We knew they are a team that can hurt you on the break, now we’ll try to advance to the next round at San Siro.” To make matters worse for Inter, captain Lautaro Martinez hobbled off and was replaced by Marcus Thuram in the second half. “I think he’s hurt and he will be out for a while,” Chivu said of Martinez. Bodo/Glimt, Europa League semifinalists last term, have given themselves a chance of securing a major surprise, and a last-16 meeting with either Man City or Sporting Lisbon. The hosts took a 20th-minute lead with a fine team goal, finished off with aplomb by Sondre Brunstad Fet after he latched onto Hogh’s clever flick inside the area. But Bodo could not keep their advantage for long as Inter youngster Pio Esposito swivelled inside the box and fired home on the half-hour mark, with the goal surviving a lengthy VAR review for handball. Inter almost scored in the first minute after the restart when Martinez’s instinctive close range shot bobbled off the post. The Norwegians moved back in front in the 61st minute as they caught Inter short at the back and Jens Petter Hauge rifled the ball into the roof of the net after being teed up by Hogh. Bodo’s third goal arrived just three minutes later, as Patrick Berg put Ole Didrik Blomberg through on goal with a cute dinked pass and he squared it for Hogh to tap into an empty net. Danish striker Hogh has now scored four goals in his last three Champions League appearances following a double against Man City and the winner to defeat Atletico. Inter pushed to cut the deficit, but Carlos Augusto’s blocked shot from eight yards out was the closest they came despite some late pressure. – AFP Bodo/Glimt stun Inter

Sloppy Atletico held in six-goal Brugge thriller

GREEK WINGER Christos Tzolis grabbed a late equaliser for Club Brugge as Atletico Madrid twice let the lead slip in a 3-3 Champions League playoff first leg draw yesterday. Diego Simeone’s side went 2-0 up in the first half but Brugge fought back to 2-2, and after an own goal allowed the Spanish side to move back in front, Tzolis had the last word in Belgium. Atletico, who have never won the Champions League, are a long way off the pace in La Liga and consider their best chances of silverware this sea son to be via a cup route. However, their poor defending left everything to play for next Wednesday in the second leg, with a last 16 berth at stake. “We were two up and didn’t know how to hold on to the lead,” At l e t i co capt a i n Koke told

Brugge halved Atletico’s lead in the 52nd min ute when Onyedika tapped home after a superb Oblak save to keep out Nicolo Tresoldi’s header. Brugge striker Tresoldi was soon on the scoresheet himself to pull the Belgian side level on the hour mark. Atletico striker Alexander Sorloth nodded nar rowly wide before Joel Ordonez put through his own net to give the visitors the lead again. However, in the 89th minute, Brugge struck again, with Tzolis played in down the left and finish ing well. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but the decision was corrected after a VAR review. “It was a very interesting game with different phases,“ said Brugge coach Ivan Leko. “Two-nil down against a very strong team… we were in a difficult situation but the team showed great character and quality in our play… “Atleti will be big favourites but we can play football and we’ll do all we can to progress.” – AFP

Movistar . “It was a rollercoaster, like it’s been all sea son. We have to concentrate more.” Simeone admitted it was a tricky night against a side that drew 3-3 against Barcelona in the league phase. “It was a game against possibly the most intense team in the Champions League,“ said Simeone. “The context of the game says that it was a fair draw… we’ve got the second leg at home and we hope to play a great game.” Atletico took an early lead through a Julian Alvarez penalty after a careless handball by Joaquin Seys. Brugge otherwise had the better of the first half, with Mamadou Diakhon whipping an effort nar rowly wide, and Jan Oblak saving from Raphael Onyedika. But the Belgians found themselves two down at the break. Ademola Lookman finished from close range after Antoine Griezmann flicked on Alvarez’s corner.

Newcastle rampage in Baku Howe hopes rout of Qarabag shows Magpies can be ‘outstanding team’ E DDIE HOWE is hoping Newcastle’s 6-1 Champions League rout of Qarabag will remind his players that they can be an “outstanding team”. but left having eclipsed Alan Shearer’s club record of six goals in a single Champions League campaign by taking his tally to 10. Further strikes from Malick Thiaw and substi tute Jacob Murphy left Qarabag, who replied through Elvin Jafarguliyev, with the steepest of mountains to climb on Tyneside, although Gordon was measured in his reaction to a memorable night. Ű BY DAMIAN SPELLMAN

The Magpies romped to victory in Baku yes terday to put one foot firmly in the competition’s last 16 ahead of next week’s second leg at St James’ Park, with either Barcelona or Chelsea awaiting the winners. Howe’s men raced into a 5-0 lead by the break to remind the whole of Europe that they are a force with which to be reckoned when they are at their best. Asked at his post-match press conference what such a resounding victory could do for the club, he replied: “My hope is that it just re affirms our belief that we can be an outstand ing team. “When we’re at our very best, we can be a match for anybody. I’ve always maintained this season that we can be, it’s of course find ing this level as much as we can, as consis tently as we can. “I think you could see the intense focus from the players was there from very early in the game and then we’ve got the quality when we’re in that kind of mood. “It’s a really useful time for us to produce a display like this to hopefully just tell ourselves that we can be a top team again.” A third successive away win in three differ ent competitions was secured by Anthony Gordon’s four-goal haul – he had never

“The records are nice, of course, but football is about the team. Individual moments only matter if the team succeeds and tonight, that was the most important thing,” Gordon told uefa.com . “I’m very proud, not just of myself, but of eve ryone involved. It’s never easy to come here, so I’m really happy for the whole group.” Howe was delighted with Gordon’s contribu tion and played down an apparent half-time row with skipper Kieran Trippier after he completed his quadruple from the penalty spot, with team mate Nick Woltemade also offering his services. Howe said: “Anthony naturally wanted to take the second penalty and I understand why there’s a debate over it sometimes. “That’s not clear when there are two in one game. But he took both penalties superbly and I’m pleased with that. “Kieran’s only ever trying to help the team, so I think it’s a positive situation rather than nega tive.” Thiaw will be suspended for the return after collecting a third booking of the campaign in Baku but those who do take to the pitch will not be allowed to rest on their laurels. Howe said: “Yes, we’ve had a good game today, but we take nothing for granted in the sec ond leg.” – The Independent

Newcastle’s Dan Burn (left) challenges for the ball during the Champions League playoff first leg against Qarabag at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium yesterday. – AFPPIC

scored a senior hattrick before he ran out at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium,

Schick steers Leverkusen past Olympiacos PATRIK SCHICK scored twice in a four-minute spell to steer Bayer Leverkusen to a 2-0 win at Olympiacos in the first leg of their Champions League knockout playoff tie yester day. couple of things, scored two goals and got an important win.” Leverkusen’s win puts them in the driver’s seat ahead of next week’s return leg in Germany, with the win ners of this tie set to face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the last 16.

the break on the hour mark. Ernest Poku won the ball in his own half and advanced goalwards before threading a superb pass to Schick, who guided his strike into the bottom corner. “I don’t really remember the situa tion – it was intuition, my movement,” Schick said. “I was one-on-one with the ‘keeper, I stayed calm – it was a good goal.” The stunned hosts were unpicked again just three minutes later when Alex Grimaldo swung in a pinpoint corner which Schick headed home to put Leverkusen in a commanding position. – AFP

brilliant early, pinning the Germans back in their own half in a breathless opening 25 minutes. Leverkusen absorbed the pressure before going close on 28 minutes when Ibrahim Maza forced home goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis into an acrobatic save. Olympiacos forward Ayoub El Kaabi turned the ball in from a free kick just before half-time but VAR found teammate Mehdi Taremi, who was offside, had touched the ball, rul ing out the goal. The hosts once again pinned the visitors back after the interval but Leverkusen took their chance to hit on

Olympiacos, who beat Leverkusen in the league stage at home last month, were again impressive but were undone by Schick’s quick-fire brace midway through the second half. “In the first half it was a difficult match, Olympiacos pressed us with plenty of tempo and made things very complicated for us,” Schick told DAZN . “In the second half we improved a

In the lead-up to the match, Greek media reported Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis, the billionaire shipping magnate who also owns Premier League side Nottingham Forest, promised players a “record” bonus should they make it past Leverkusen. As if spurred on, the hosts were