Solanke ends Bodö's hopes: Spurs face Man United in the EL final

Serves after the Spurs goal: Bodö/Glimts Ulrik Saltnes. IMAGO/NTB

Rain, seven degrees Celsius, and a sold-out Aspmyra Stadium in Bodö, Norway: The conditions were in place for a remarkable comeback. Now only FK Bodö/Glimt had to follow suit. After the 3-1 defeat in North London , the odds were stacked against them; a win by at least three goals would have been needed to reach the final.

And the home side from Bodø were better, forcing Tottenham completely into their own half at times. Coach Kjetil Knutsen brought on three new players in Moe, Berg, and Evjen. Nielsen, Fet, and Määttä were forced to sit out the game. In Blomberg, however, it was another player who first threatened, putting Spurs goalkeeper Vicario on alert with a shot that hit the side netting (8').

Tottenham, who started with Kulusevski in place of the injured Maddison (knee), produced very little. The men from North London focused on defending and counterattacking, which was by no means a bad thing given the outcome of the first leg. It was all the more predictable that Pedro Porro created Spurs' only serious chance of the first half with a free kick from around 20 meters out – but Bodö keeper Haikin prevented the shot from going into the net (23').

At the other end, the Norwegians had plenty of possession and fought their way into the final third, but they were also short on big chances in front of the visitors' goal. Berg's free kick, whose potential impact was blocked by Vicario, was the best chance of the first half (31').

And after the break, the same picture emerged: Bodö/Glimt had the ball, but there were no real chances. Blomberg missed a cross (51') and Udogie made a desperate save from Högh (58'), but that was all they could manage.

Instead, Tottenham struck with icy coolness in the 63rd minute: Solanke, with a striker-like finish, pushed Romero's assisted header over the goal line and celebrated the decisive goal. Although three Norwegian goals would have been enough to force extra time at that point, when Pedro Porro's cross suddenly found its way into Bodö's net, hopes of a Norwegian comeback were finally dashed (69th).

After that, nothing more happened except for a penalty that was canceled for the Norwegians (90th+5). While Bodö/Glimt's remarkable European journey came to an end, the Europa League final against Manchester United awaits Spurs on May 21. Kickoff in Bilbao is at 9 p.m. (LIVE! on kicker).