This Norwegian outfit were embarking on their UCL last-16 debut after dumping out last season’s finalists Inter in the knockout play-off round, and faced a Sporting side targeting a first European Cup quarter-final appearance in 43 years.
After an early opportunity for Luis Suarez, Glimt gradually asserted their authority in this clash.
Jens Petter Hauge flashed an effort wide at the near post, while Håkon Evjen could only fire straight at Rui Silva after being played through one-on-one with the Portuguese shot-stopper.
The hosts looked the more likely to strike first, and did just that in the 32nd minute. Georgios Vagiannidis was penalised for shoving down Sondre Brunstad Fet in the box, and the latter confidently dispatched the subsequent spot-kick, sending Silva the wrong way.
Ole Didrik Blomberg rubbed salt in Sporting’s wounds, doubling Glimt’s lead with a clinical right-footed finish to conclude a hugely impressive first half for Kjetil Knutsen’s side.
It had been a sobering first half for Rui Borges’ men, but they returned with renewed intensity after the break. The Leoes could have halved the deficit when Luis Guilherme’s corner was flicked on by Joao Simoes and Ousmane Diomande in the box, with Suarez agonisingly close to making a connection with the ball at the far post.
However, any hopes of a comeback were quashed when Kasper Hogh got in between two Sporting defenders and turned home Hauge’s cross to extend Glimt’s advantage.
Hauge could have added even more gloss to the scoreline, had his long-range right-footed shot not sailed just wide of the post with full-time approaching.
That goal rounded off another fine night’s work for the Superlaget in Europe’s premier cup competition, and they are tantalisingly close to becoming only the second Norwegian side to reach the quarter-finals since Rosenborg in 1996/97.
Meanwhile, Sporting’s hopes of progressing into the last eight hang by a thread, having now failed to win an away game at this stage or later in a continental competition since 2005 (D6, L10).
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jens Petter Hauge (Bodo/Glimt)