An amazing blunder by Atletico Madrid 'keeper Francisco Molina handed Norway its first ever European Championship victory in an 1-0 upset victory on Tuesday. 

Molina raced off his line to reach a towering free kick by his opposite number Thomas Myhre, never got there and Steffen Iversen headed the ball in an empty Spanish net. 

"I am destroyed. It was just one of those things," said Molina, prefered in the starting lineup to Jose Santiago Canizares of Valencia and 19-year-old Iker Casillas of Real Madrid. "All I can do now is concentrate on making sure we win the next two games." 

Iversen, by contrast, was delighted. 

"I heard the keeper calling for the ball," the Tottenham striker said. "I decided to take a chance. It was a tremendous feeling to see the ball hit the net." 

The 66th minute goal sent some 20,000 Norwegians fans in the Kuip stadium into wild celebrations and they raised the roof again when Egyptian referee Gamal El Ghandour blew for the final whistle to signal a first ever Euro triumph and a major upset over fancied Spain. 

"I'm proud of the performance," said coach Nils Johan Semb, who took over from long time leader Egil Olsen just under two years ago. "It's a big victory for a small nation like Norway to beat a team like Spain." 

The Spaniards, rated a strong contender for the Euro 2000 title especially after sending two teams to the final of the European Champions Cup, trooped off the field in shame immediately without even acknowledging their fans. 

Their free passing play had been stifled by a team considered no more than a bunch of journeymen players who earn their living in other leagues such as the English Premier League. 

The aristocrats of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, who all made the semifinal of the Champions Cup, were firmly put in their place and Spain now has to beat Slovenia and Yugoslavia to make sure of reaching the last eight. 

Spanish coach Jose Antonio Camacho was upset with the performance of referee El Ghandour, who made history as the first non European to take charge of a game in the competition. 

"He is not at the same level as the other referees, for example, who direct the game like in Holland and Italy," Camacho said. "Today there was clear penalty which he did not call. I'm not sure he has sufficient class to direct games at this level. 

"We played to win, we dominated, we had an enormous slice of bad luck, which turned out to be decisive," the Spanish coach said. "It was a game we could have won. But bad luck took it away. We needed luck, that's all." 

It was the first big upset of the Euros and a nightmare for Molina who was considered as a starter ahead of Valencia's Santiago Canizares and Real Madrid's 19-year-old Iker Casillas. While his rivals both played in the Champions Cup final, his team suffered the humiliation of relegation from the Spanish Primera Division. 

After eight minutes of sparring, Spanish midfielder Joseba Etxeberria shaved the Norway crossbar with a 20-meter shot but it was the Norwegians who went closer to scoring in the 27th minute when Manchester United's Ole Gunnar Solskjaer met a leftwing cross from Andre Bergdlmo and guided a long range header against the crossbar. 

Three minutes later the Spaniards pieced together a slick move started by midfield general Josep Guardiola with a pass out right. Michel Salgado swung in a well-flighted cross and Ismael Urzaiz powered in a header that goalkeeper Thomas Myhre saved at the second attempt at the foot of his post. 

Real Madrid's star forward Raul Gonzalez, perhaps still struggling from the effects of a leg muscle injury had few chances to make an impact but got clear of the defense four minutes before half time only to pull his left foot shot wide of the far post. 

Just before the interval the Norwegians temporarily abandoned their rough and tumble tactics to construct a well-worked move with Vegard Heggembreaking down the right to cross to Solskjaer. The Reds striker controlled the ball well and turned to fire a firm shot but it was well saved by Molina. 

Egyptian referee Gamal El Ghandour, making history as the first non-European to take charge of a game in the competition, handed out his first yellow card in the 17th minute to Spanish midfielder Joseba Etxeberria for a needless midfield foul. He later cautioned Bergdolmo also for a clattering foul on Guardiola. 

Fran Gonzalez wen close to breaking the deadlock eight minutes into the second half with a powerful shot that Myhre couldn't hold first time and had to grab the ball at the second attempt with Raul about to pounce. 

Then a half chance fell to Raul just outside the box but he fired his left foot drive high into the Norwegian fans behind the goal. 

Norway lost its most experienced defender, Manchester United's Henning Berg, who had been struggling with a hamstring for more than a week. He limped off in the 59th minute to be replaced by Dan Eggen. 

Almost as Eggen was running on, Norway almost snatched the lead when Bergtmoldo swung in a corner from the left and the ball missed at least three of his countrymen in front of goal with the Spanish defense unable to clear. 

Then came Norway's amazing, almost freakish goal. 

The Norwegians were awarded a free kick deep in their own half and goalkeeper Myhre decided to take it. He aimed a huge, high kick forward and, with the sun in his eyes, the Spanish goalkeeper raced off his line to try and punch. 

He got almost to edge of his area but was beaten in the air by Iversen, whose long-range looping header seemed to be in the air for an eternity before it landed in the net in front of the dismayed Spanish supporters. 

The Spaniards had a chance to hit back almost immediately when they were awarded a free kick in the Norwegian penalty area when Myrhe handled a back pass but Fran's shot was blocked by the defensive wall. 

Spain sent on Gaizka Mendieta, one of the stars of Valencia's amazing run to the final of the Champions Cup, and the forward fired a shot just wide of the post from the edge of the area and then had a close range drive saved at the foot of the upright by Myhre. 

Lineups: 
Spain -- Paco Molina; Michel Salgado, Paco Jemez, Fernando Hierro, Augustin Aranzabal; Joseba Etxeberria (Alfonso 71st), Josep Guardiola, Juan Valeron (Ivan Helguera 81st), Fran Gonzalez (Gaizka Mendieta 71st); Raul Gonzalez, Ismael Urzaiz. 
 
Norway -- Thomas Myhre; Vegard Heggem, Henning Berg (Dan Eggen 55th), Bjorn Otto Bragstad, Andre Bergdolmo; Eirik Bakke, Bent Skammelsrud, Erik Mykland; Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Tore Andre Flo (John Carew 69th), Steffen Iversen (Vidar Riseth 89th). 
 
Referee -- Gamal El Ghandour, Egypt.