Tottenham's Steffen Iversen scored a softer goal here in Euro 2000 than he could ever expect to pick up in the Premiership as Alternative England made themselves a far safer bet to reach the quarter-finals than Kevin Keegan's boys.

Iversen's looping header over the hopelessly displaced Francisco Molina was enough to put Norway's collection of Anglos in pole position of Group C.

And the striker's 66th-minute effort once again exposed Spain's capacity for under-achievement in major championships which is now reaching the level of professional suicide.

By the time coach Jose Antonio Camacho freed his most creative players from the bench, Norway were well in control and if one of the pre-tournament favourites are to return to the Feyenoord Stadium for next month's final, then Spain must be more adventurous in their remaining group games.

Even the loss of defender Henning Berg on the hour failed to dampen Norway's resilience. The Manchester United centre-back limped off with a recur-rence of a hamstring injury which is likely to curtail his involvement in Euro 2000, but his team-mates, including six other Premiership stars, reshuf-fled with a minimum of fuss.

Just as rugby union has its Barbarians, so football has its Vikings. They are called Norway and most of them live and work in England.

The difference is not only the shape of the ball but one of philosophy.

Where the BaaBaas play with flair and freedom to run the ball, the Norsemen clamp down on their opponents with an organised athleticism which only the quickest and bravest can disrupt.

Unhappily for those of us who had fancied Spain enough to place a saving bet on them - just in case the wheels were to come off the heavy wager on England! - they did not match either criterion.

And as the first team in Euro 2000 to play for the draw, they got the defeat they deserved.

While Spain indulged in pretty keep-ball and looked as disinterested as the fans who only half-filled their end of the ground, Norway should have bludgeoned their way into a lead by half-time.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer headed against the bar from Andre Bergdolmo's inviting 20th minute cross and then he mishit a potentially delightful shot on the turn just before the interval.

'Man United, Man United,' chanted the packed ranks of red and white Norwegians, before Raul finally went close for Spain with a drifted cross-shot while his partner Ismael Urzaiz rose for a header which lacked the power to beat Thomas Myhre.

Norway's Everton goalkeeper gained the dubious distinction of being the first in this tournament to be pulled up under the new six-second rule, which restricts the time they can dwell in possession of the ball.

Typically, though, Spain squandered the indirect free-kick from near the penalty spot as if it hardly mattered.

What made their attitude all the more surprising was that the incident came minutes after Myhre's massive clearance had bounced almost the length of the pitch for Iversen to jump, head on and turn in pleasant surprise as the ball arched over stranded keeper Molina and into the empty net.

There were just 25 minutes remaining but Camacha wasted the first seven of those before finally sending on Valencia's inspirational Gaizka Mendieta and the elusive Alfonso.

Only then did Spain move up through the gears, which, presumably, they were saving for the subsequent encounters with Yugoslavia and Slovenia.

They seemed sure that a draw without injury against their robust opponents would do nicely. Norway punished that barren policy with traditional British football and a few frills added on.

To hell with Spain and their false sense of superiority, it's Viva the English Alternativo.

Spain (4-4-2): Jose Molina; Michel Salgado, Fernando Hierro, Paco Jemez, Agustin Aranzabel; Jose Etxeberria (Alfonso Perez, 72min), Josep Guardiola, Juan Carlos Valeron (Ivan Helguera, 80), Fran Gonzalez (Gaizka Mendieta, 72); Raul, Ismael Urzaiz. Booked: Etxeberria, Salgado.

Norway (4-3-3): Thomas Myhre; Vegard Heggem, Henning Berg (Dan Eggen, 59min), Bjorn Otto Bragstad, Andre Bergdolmo; Eirik Bakke, Bent Skammelsrud, Erik Mykland; Steffen Iversen, Tore Andre Flo (John Carew, 71), Ole Gunnar Solksjaer. Booked: Bergdolmo (32).

Referee: G El Ghandour (Egypt)

Man of the Match: Mykland