Kenley Ward
Dailysports's expert
On Thursday, May 8, in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League semi-final, Tottenham will travel to face Bodø/Glimt. The first match ended with a 3-1 victory for the Spurs. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 Central European Time. I'm offering my prediction for the outcome of this clash.
Interesting facts and head-to-head history
- Bodø/Glimt are playing in the semi-finals of a European competition for the first time in their history.
- Bodø/Glimt have won 8 of their last 10 home matches across all competitions.
- Tottenham have previously reached the Europa League/UEFA Cup final three times.
- These teams have never met before.
Match preview
For several years now, Bodø/Glimt have been surprisingly dominant in Norwegian football, and the new season is proving no exception. With 10 points from four matches, the yellow-blacks sit in fourth place but have two games in hand over their direct rivals. Bodø/Glimt requested to reschedule their domestic fixtures precisely because of their involvement in the latter stages of the Europa League.
So far, the only team to take points off the Norwegian champions this season is Molde (2-2). Besides that, Bodø/Glimt have dismantled KFUM (3-0) and HamKam, and also edged out Bryne (1-0). Last weekend, Kjetil Knutsen's squad took a break to prepare for the decisive clash against Tottenham.
In the Europa League quarter-finals, Bodø/Glimt beat Lazio 2-0 at home but lost 1-3 away, ultimately prevailing in the penalty shootout. Their home games, played on artificial turf, are their main weapon. Earlier in the campaign, the Norwegians knocked out Olympiacos and Twente.
Tottenham have just endured one of their worst Premier League seasons in years. The Spurs, with 38 points, are languishing in 16th, and it’s absolutely clear that Ange Postecoglou’s men are now fully focused on their Europa League campaign. Success in this tournament is their last shot not only at European football next season, but at a place in the Champions League.
At the weekend, Tottenham played yet another lackluster Premier League match, drawing 1-1 away to West Ham, who are also among the league’s strugglers. Before that, Spurs were thrashed by Liverpool (1-5) and lost to Nottingham Forest (1-2).
In the Europa League, however, the Spurs are looking like genuine contenders for the title. They secured an excellent result in the first leg, and in the previous round, managed to eliminate a tough opponent in Eintracht.
Probable line-ups
- Tottenham: Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison, Odobert, Solanke, Son Heung-min
- Bodø/Glimt: Haikin; Sjøvold, Nilsen, Gundersen, Bjørkan; Evjen, Berg, Saltnes; Blomberg, Høgh, Hauge
Bodø/Glimt vs Tottenham prediction
The Spurs are clear favorites to reach the final, but beating Bodø/Glimt on their own turf is a daunting task. My bet: the hosts will not lose this match.
