FC Twente bid farewell to the UEFA Europa League after suffering a dramatic 5-2 defeat at the hands of Bodø/Glimt during extra time on Thursday night. The match took place at the Aspmyra Stadium, known for its challenging conditions due to its location north of the Arctic Circle.
The Dutch side entered this second leg with hopes of maintaining their slim lead following the first match. Initially, things seemed promising when Twente extended their aggregate advantage. Fredrik Sjovold of Bodø/Glimt inadvertently deflected the ball past his own goalkeeper, granting Twente the opening goal and pushing their aggregate lead to 3-1.
Yet, the game took a sudden turn when Bodø/Glimt’s Gustaf Lagerbielke committed a clumsy foul inside the penalty area. Kasper Høgh stepped up to take the penalty kick and confidently converted, leveling the match at 1-1.
Despite Twente managing to keep the scoreboard at bay for much of the match, they found themselves facing mounting pressure from Bodø/Glimt, which showcased significantly more attacking prowess. It wasn't until extra time when the hosts finally drew even on aggregate thanks to Mees Hilgers, who unfortunately deflected the ball again, this time resulting in another own goal.
Further adding to Twente's woes, Brice Wembangomo fired home from distance to put his side comfortably 3-1 up, leaving Twente scrambling to respond. Desperation set in as Twente pushed for goals. Eventually, Sem Steijn found the net during the dying moments of regulation time, scrambling the ball over the line to send the match to extra time with hopes for Twente reignited.
But as the match proceeded, fatigue appeared to settle over Twente. Just six minutes after the restart to extra time, Sondre Fet’s effort off a corner kick seemed to clinch the game when the referee’s technology confirmed the ball had crossed the line, pushing the score to 4-2.
Not long after, Arno Verschueren inadvertently closed the night with another own goal, sealing the fate of Twente at 5-2 and 6-4 on aggregate over the two legs. This shocking exit marked the end of Twente's European campaign this season, as they would now shift their focus back to the Eredivisie, where they currently sat sixth on the table.
Twente manager Joseph Oosting expressed the need to transition their efforts back to domestic play, stating, "Oosting’s side will now focus all their attention on their Eredivisie campaign this season," emphasizing the importance of regrouping for their upcoming match against NEC Nijmegen on Sunday.
With the emotional toll of the night's events, Twente must now reflect on their performance and conduct, learning from what went wrong against Bodø/Glimt. The players and coaching staff will analyze how several defensive errors, particularly the own goals, jeopardized their chances of advancing.