Classy Carew crowns Norway victory

Norway recorded a second 4-0 home win in five days as two goals from John Carew helped defeat Hungary and keep Åge Hareide's side in touch with the leaders in UEFA EURO 2008™ Group C.

Confidence high
Norway ended a three-game winless run with victory against Malta on Saturday and, with confidence high, they produced another fine display at the Ullevål Stadium in Oslo. Steffen Iversen opened the scoring midway through the first half, substitute Daniel Braaten added a second early in the second period and Carew made the points safe in the last half-hour, registering twice to complete an emphatic success.

Iversen opportunism
Norway scored three times in the final 18 minutes against Malta and they picked up where they had left off, Erik Hagen threatening with a seventh-minute header. Zoltán Gera threatened for the visitors by forcing Norway's Håkon Opdal to parry his drive from just inside the penalty area but the breakthrough arrived at the other end in the 22nd minute. Iversen was the scorer, nodding in from close range after Hungary had failed to clear a Martin Andresen corner.

Clinching strike
Hareide made two changes at half-time, replacing Iversen with Braaten, but Hungary were quicker out of the blocks, Dániel Tőzsér flashing a shot wide before Opdal turned away a fierce Tamás Hajnal drive. Norway's response was ruthless, however, as 1-0 became 3-0 within four minutes. Braaten drilled in the second on 57 minutes after goalkeeper Zoltán Vegh had committed himself to fending off Carew, before the Aston Villa FC totem got on the scoresheet himself on the hour, latching on to Andresen's precise pass to slot in.

September fixtures
Carew rounded off a fine night for the hosts with the fourth and concluding goal 12 minutes from time, picking up possession from John Arne Riise and sweeping the ball past Vegh from five metres for his third goal of the qualifying campaign. Norway are next in action on 8 September when they visit Moldova, while Hungary, who have six points from seven outings, welcome Bosnia-Herzegovina on the same night.