Undisputed Norwegian strikers don't strike too often

VI
Wednesday 15 October 2008

The Dutch national football team will tonight be faced with John Carew (29) and Steffen Iversen (31), two experienced Norwegian forwards.

However statistics show that they will not be dealing with a particularly successful duo.

The figures of Carew and Iversen are almost identical.

Carew has 73 caps to his name, Iversen has 75

Both scored 21 goals for Norway, which means an average of about 1 in 3 games.

For Norway's manager Åge Hareide, who usually opts to play a 4-4-2 against strong opposition, the two forwards are his regular couple up front.

Ahead of the game in Scotland the two were dealing with injuries but both were in the starting lineup at Hampden Park.

Carew had a number of chances in the first half but neither of the two managed to score.

It was not an incident that Carew and Iversen remained goalless.

They formed a partnership in 49 games and in 28 of them none of the two scored, in 20 at least one of them scored and in only 1 game they were both successful.

That was on 6 June 2007 when Norway beat Hungary 4-0.

With Carew and Iversen in the team Norway have a slightly positive balance.

Of the 49 games in which both played Norway won 18, drew 15 and lost 16

Apart from their partnership in the national team Carew and Iversen have other things in common.

Both have played for Vålerengen IF and Rosenborg BK and both have played in the English Premier League.

Carew is currently doing well for Aston Villa.

Iversen has ha stints at Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers and now plays for Rosenborg BK.