Bodø back from the brink
Thursday, 26 August 2004
By Margus Luik at the Kadriorg stadium
[1] Norwegian side FK Bodø/Glimt booked their place in the UEFA Cup first round after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory against FC Levadia Tallinn, having been seconds away from elimination in regulation time.
Ludvigsen crucial
[2] Despite winning the first leg 2-1 in Norway, Bodø were in danger of going out as they trailed 2-0 on the night to the Estonian side. But with 20 seconds left, Trond Fredrik Ludvigsen found the net to level the scores on aggregate and take the tie into extra time - and ultimately penalties.
Clever counterattack
[3] It took more than a quarter of an hour for either side to create a clear chance on goal. Ludvigsen let fly with a left-footed shot which flew just wide of Artur Kotenko's goal on 17 minutes then Levadia promptly scored with their very next attack. Konstantin Vassiljev's wonderful pass sent through Vladimir Voskoboinikov and the scorer of Levadia's only goal in the first leg made no mistake, rounding the Norwegian goalkeeper to score. Bodø/Glimt, known as a good counterattacking team back in Norway, had been served a dose of their own medicine.
Kruglov involved
[4] The Norwegian side took the initiative and put good pressure on Levadia until the break but the clearest chances nevertheless fell to the home side. Voskoboinikov sent one shot just over and goalkeeper Tor Egil Horn was forced to punch clear Konstantin Nahk's furious 18-metre shot. Next left-back Dmitri Kruglov embarked on several runs out wide and after two unsuccessful shots, the third led to a 45th-minute goal. His shot was tipped on to the post by Horn and unmarked Vassiljev tapped in the ball to put Levadia in command.
Dramatic finish
[5] Bodø's pressure became enormous as the 90-minute mark approached and after Ludvigsen had squandered two good chances he stretched to meet a loose ball and square the scores overall. Ludvigsen could have wrapped up the tie during extra time, but he hit the crossbar after four minutes. Levadia's best chance fell to Vassiljev, who forced Horn into a one-handed save, but their hero was right-back Tihhon Šišov, who cleared the ball off the goalline at the death.
Steinbakk conclusion
[6] The players displayed unerring accuracy during the ensuing shoot-out, with the first 14 players all finding the net. However, Horn saved Levadia's eighth kick, that of Lithuanian midfielder Marius Dovydenas, and Per-Ivar Steinbakk's powerful spot-kick sent the Norwegian side through.