Overview
The two teams that participated in the Champions League group stage last season created a dramatic chase with 6 goals in the first leg. Bodo/Glimt reversed the score to draw 3-3 at the Union Saint-Gilloise stadium in Brussels.
Patrick Berg put Bodo/Glimt ahead, but Raul Florucz quickly scored a double for the home team. Ole Blomberg scored from the penalty spot, before Promise David helped Union once again take the lead and stand before a great opportunity to gain an advantage after the first leg. However, Odin Bjortuft kept hope for Bodo/Glimt with a header to equalize in injury time.
Continuing their impressive performance in the European arena last season, when they reached the round of 16 after victories against Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan, Kjetil Knutsen's team continues to aim to go deeper in the Champions League.
Bodo/Glimt only needed one more victory to qualify for the Champions League play-offs, the final stage before entering the group stage.
After losing the domestic championship to Viking last season with a gap of only 1 point, Bodo/Glimt are continuing to compete fiercely for the top spot in the Eliteserien. They have won 6 consecutive matches since the summer break.
Including the 2-1 victory over Valerenga, Bodo/Glimt scored 15 goals and only conceded one goal in this series, showing impressive form at Eliteserien.
Meanwhile, Union Saint-Gilloise also aims to compete for the domestic championship after being overtaken by Club Brugge last season.
In the 2024-2025 season, the capital club ended 90 years of waiting to win the domestic league title. However, in the 2025-2026 season, they only won the Belgian national cup.
Thanks to finishing in second place, Union won a ticket to the Champions League qualifiers. Last season, they went straight to the group stage and only missed the spot in the knockout round due to inferior goal difference.
After a vibrant summer transfer season, David Hubert's team started the season very positively. They defeated Club Brugge on penalties to win the Super Cup, before crushing Westerlo 5-1 in the opening match of the Pro League.
Therefore, despite losing the advantage after the first leg, Union still has a basis to be confident before the away trip to Norway. If they win, they will advance to the play-offs and face Olympiacos or NEC Nijmegen.
Personnel situation
After Kasper Hogh moved to Celtic, Andreas Helmersen regularly led the Bodo/Glimt attack and scored 6 goals in the domestic league this season.
Captain Patrick Berg is still a pillar in midfield. Meanwhile, Hakon Evjen is out of action due to a knee injury and may be sidelined until September.
On the Union Saint-Gilloise side, they parted ways with goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen, who moved to Ipswich Town, and veteran defender Christian Burgess, who joined Gent.
Newcomer Relebohile Mofoxeng impressed in his first appearances after participating in the 2026 World Cup with the South African national team. He successfully converted the decisive penalty that helped Union win the Belgian Super Cup, before scoring the second goal after coming on as a substitute in last week's match.
In midfield, key midfielder Adem Zorgane, who scored 4 goals and had 9 assists last season, has been absent for 2 consecutive matches due to injury.
Expected lineup:
Bodo/Glimt: Haikin, Sjovold, Bjortuft, Gundersen, Bjorkan, Auklend, Berg, Fet, Blomberg, Brynhildsen, Hauge.
Union SG: Chambaere, Mac Allister, Sylla, Sykes, Patris, Schoofs, Van De Perre, Niang, Olaru, Florucz, David.
The match between Bodo/Glimt and Union SG takes place at 11:00 p.m. on August 11 (Vietnam time).
