Norway have faith in Riise recovery

Despite sustaining an ankle injury on the opening day of the Premiership season which threatens to sideline him for a month, Liverpool FC left-back John Arne Riise has been named in the Norway squad for the UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers against Hungary and Moldova.

Stretcher
The 25-year-old was stretchered off 26 minutes into Saturday's 1-1 draw at Sheffield United FC with Liverpool estimating that he will return to training in "two to three weeks". Norway coach Åge Hareide, however, had no hesitation in selecting him for the 2 September trip to Budapest and the visit of Moldova four days later. "John Arne is in excellent shape and heals quickly after injuries. It would have been a bigger gamble not to include him," Hareide said.

Bertelsen included
Fredrikstad FK left-back Trond Erik Bertelsen has nevertheless been called up as cover, while Ole Gunnar Solskjær is picked in a competitive squad for the first time since Norway lost 1-0 to Bosnia-Herzegovina in September 2003. "It's a big boost to have Ole Gunnar back," said Hareide, whose squad is otherwise as expected for the Group C double-header.

Norway squad
Goalkeepers: Jan Kjell Larsen (Molde FK), Thomas Myhre (Charlton Athletic FC), Håkon Opdal (SK Brann).

Defenders: Christer Basma (Rosenborg BK), Trond Erik Bertelsen (Fredrikstad FK), Erik Hagen (FC Zenit St. Petersburg), Brede Hangeland (FC København), Marius Johnsen (IK Start), Anders Rambekk (Lillestrøm SK), John Arne Riise (Liverpool FC), Kjetil Wæhler (Vålerenga IF).

Midfielders: Martin Andresen (SK Brann), Christian Grindheim (Vålerenga IF), Kristofer Hæstad (IK Start), Tommy Svindal Larsen (Odd Grenland), Morten Gamst Pedersen (Blackburn Rovers FC), Fredrik Strømstad (IK Start).

Forwards: Daniel Braaten (Rosenborg BK), John Carew (Olympique Lyonnais), Steffen Iversen (Rosenborg BK), Frode Johnsen (Nagoya Grampus Eight), Sigurd Rushfeldt (Tromsø IL), Ole Gunnar Solskjær (Manchester United FC), Ole Martin Årst (Tromsø IL).