Fredrik Sjøvold stuns Dortmund as Niko Kovač's wholesale rotation backfires in Bodø

Borussia Dortmund's Champions League travel sickness deepened as Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt claimed a deserved 1-0 win at the Aspmyra Stadion, with Fredrik Sjøvold scoring the only goal of the game.

Niko Kovač, who has restored Dortmund as Bayern Munich's main rivals for the Bundesliga title and holds a higher points-per-game average than any other coach in the club's history, made the striking decision to heavily rotate his squad in Bodø — a much-changed lineup that left the visitors short in the opening exchanges.

Dortmund had a Fábio Silva header from an offside position ruled out before the break, and Kovač refused to turn to his bench before half-time even as the warning signs mounted. Bodø/Glimt marksman Andreas Helmersen brought Gregor Kobel into action with a zippy strike, while a deflected effort from Blomberg yielded a corner for the hosts.

The hosts were not to be denied, though. Patrick Berg fed Sondre Auklend on the right, and his cut-back was steered into the right corner by Fredrik Sjøvold — a deserved lead that finally prompted Kovač to act, introducing a quartet of Julian Ryerson, Felix Nmecha, Ethan Nwaneri and Serhou Guirassy.

Late chances for Felix Nmecha and Ethan Nwaneri came and went, with Bodø/Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin repeatedly on hand to preserve the clean sheet. It was a familiar script for Bundesliga visitors, with Dortmund the second German side to fall in Bodø.

The result leaves the club with four straight away defeats in Europe, and only after Fredrik Sjøvold had put the hosts ahead did Kovač turn to the bench that many felt should have been used far earlier.

For the German side, the defeat raises fresh questions about squad rotation and the club's ability to grind out results on the road in the Champions League, while Bodø/Glimt's victory reinforces their reputation as one of Europe's most formidable home sides.