Soccer-Goal-crazy Bodo/Glimt win first Norwegian title

By Philip O'Connor

STOCKHOLM, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Free-scoring Bodo/Glimt claimed their first Norwegian top flight title on Sunday with a 2-1 win over Stromsgodset thanks to goals from Kasper Junker and Philip Zinckernagel, the team's 84th and 85th strikes of the season.

The result gives the club, whose Aspmyra stadium is some 1200 kilometres north of the capital Oslo, a total of 68 points after 25 games in the Norwegian top-flight, 18 ahead of second-placed Molde with five games left to play.

Founded 104 years ago, Glimt were runners-up in the league in 2019 but they went one better in 2020, scoring two or more goals in every league game. A 4-2 loss to Molde in mid-October was their only defeat of the season.

"I am touched," coach Kjetil Knutsen told Eurosport. "This is a fantastic group of players, a fantastic team and a fantastic club."

Knutsen's side were narrowly beaten 3-2 by AC Milan in the Europa League third qualifying round, and they have won fans from all over Norway with their high-tempo, hard-working style that has provided an average of over three goals per game.

With five games to go, the newly-crowned champions need four points to break Molde's 2014 record of 71 points in a league season, and team captain Ulrik Saltnes was left speechless at what his team had achieved.

"I need a bit more time before the big quotes will come," he told newspaper Verdens Gang as the celebrations began ahead of the long journey back to northern Norway. (Reporting by Philip O'Connor Editing by Toby Davis)