NORWAY: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - Norwegian team hopes for snow to beat Turkey in Euro football qualifier

Norwegian and Turkish teams are both confident of victory ahead of Saturday's Euro 2008 Group C qualifier. Norway play Turkey on Saturday (November 17) in what promises to be an exciting Euro 2008 qualifying match. Second in group C, Norway, need to beat third-placed Turkey to go through to the finals. An away victory would make Turkey favourites to join holders Greece in the finals heading into Wednesday's (November 21) last round of matches. Norway fancy their chances against injury-hit Turkey. "We're a small country and we're not used to go to the championship, so to be in this position and maybe qualify would be very important for us," said Norway defender John Arne Riise at a news conference on Friday (November 16). Norway, having won four out of their past five qualifiers with tireless, aggressive performances, would also guarantee a berth with a draw -- followed by a win in Malta next week. Turkey trail Norway by two points in the group, which is led by already-qualified European Champions Greece and the Turks know defeat in Oslo would end their qualifying hopes. Norway will rely on striker John Carew and players from in-form Champions League side Rosenborg after captain and midfielder Martin Andresen was ruled out by a knee injury. Steffen Iversen, who scored twice for Rosenborg against Valencia this month, is set to start up front with Carew. Both players have scored four goals in the Euro 2008 qualifiers so far. Ghana-born Alexander Tettey is expected to get his second cap in place of Andersen and possibly share the midfield with Rosenborg team mate Per Ciljan Skjelbred. Norway often succeed by controlling midfield with swarming, aggressive play, and capitalise on the occasional through ball. At the news conference, the Norwegian coach Age Hareide said the Turkish team was good and had good individual players but vowed to attack them on Saturday. He also said he hoped the Norwegian climate would give home advantage. "Hopefully, lot of snow tomorrow, cold and blistering. And we'll be at our best," he said. Turkey coach Fatih Terim will have to cope without key midfielder Yildiray Basturk, who has a groin strain and so is likely to turn to some untried players. "Deniz (Baris) has been injured a for a short time, a problem around his coccyx, it is very uncertain wether he'll play or not tomorrow, but he'll probably not play. Another injured player is Yildiray Basturk. He'll probably not play either," Terim told a news conference. Turkey defender Baris is having treatment for back pains, while striker Serhat Akin is suffering from flu. From the five uncapped players in his squad, Terim is likely to start with defenders Gokhan Gonul and Hayrettin Yerlikaya, while Semih Senturk is expected to play up front. Turkey drew 2-2 at home to Norway in March after visiting goalkeeper Thomas Myhre, since dropped from the team, let a free kick run through his legs, giivng the Turks a late equaliser.

ITN Source | November 17, 2007

Tags:. .championship. .treatment. .promises. .often. .maybe