BODO, Norway, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Bodo/Glimt secured an upset 3-1 victory over Serie A leaders Inter Milan in the first leg of their Champions League playoff on Wednesday as Kasper Hogh proved instrumental with two assists and a goal.
The Norwegian side took the lead in the 20th minute when Hogh's backheel set up Sondre Brunstad Fet, who calmly slotted into the bottom corner.
Inter, three-times European Cup winners, equalised 10 minutes later through 20-year-old Pio Esposito, who turned sharply inside the box to fire in following Carlos Augusto's through ball.
Esposito's goal made him the youngest Italian to score for Inter in the knockout rounds of the competition.
Inter dominated after the break, with Lautaro Martinez hitting the post and Carlos Augusto testing goalkeeper Nikita Haikin from long range, but the home side seized the initiative.
A defensive lapse allowed Hogh to break forward and pick out Jens Petter Hauge, who rifled the ball into the roof of the net in the 61st minute.
Danish forward Hogh converted from close range after a precise cross from Ole Didrik Blomberg three minutes later, bringing his tally to four goals in this season's competition.
The result added another chapter to Glimt's golden run in this year's Champions League. The Norwegians pulled off a 3-1 win over Manchester City in the league phase and came from behind to defeat Atletico Madrid 2-1 and secure their place in the playoffs.
"First and foremost, I don't think we played a top game today," Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen told TV2. "We are too inaccurate with the ball, we are too inaccurate in being clear with our identity. There's something a bit neutral about us, but we score some fantastic goals."
"We know we are playing against a very good team. The good thing is that we go into the next game, and I think we have more in us than what we get out of ourselves on the whole total today," he added.
The victory was just the second for a Norwegian side against Italian opposition in the European Cup or Champions League, following Rosenborg's 2-1 victory over AC Milan in the group stage in December 1996.
Cristian Chivu's side, who lead the Italian top flight by seven points, will hope to overcome the deficit in next Tuesday's return leg at San Siro.
"It's a tough game against a good opponent, especially at home. A bad result for us and a bad night for us, but we need to stay calm and believe that we can win at home," Inter midfielder Petar Sucic told UEFA.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City, editing by Ed Osmond and Toby Davis)
