"hasta la vista hermanos, Ole!"

　　The giant "see you later, brothers" banner unveiled by Portuguese fans after the 1-0 win over Spain summed up the Iberian underdog's joy and relief at making it through to the quarterfinals at the European Championship.

　　Sunday's victory before 48,000 fans in the Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon provoked an outpouring of celebration around the country, as Portugal turned a disastrous debut at Euro 2004 into a famous victory.

　　"It was a fantastic victory," said midfield star Luis Figo, who outplayed his four Real Madrid teammates on a disappointing Spanish team.

　　"It's party time," shouted AC Milan playmaker Rui Costa as he and the other players left the stadium for a 24-hour family break granted by coach Luiz Felipe Scolari before the players return to training for Thursday's quarterfinals.

　　For Spain, defeat brought more heartache, another major championship where the much-fancied team makes an early exit.

　　"The players are extremely low," coach Inaki Saez said. "We had great hopes for this tournament and had qualification within our grasp, but it just wasn't to be."

　　The Portuguese went into the Group A game needing a win to advance and got it courtesy of a sharp shot on the turn by Nuno Gomes 12 minutes after he had come on as a halftime substitute. The victory, 23 years to the day since its last win over Spain, was just reward for Portugal's enterprise against a side at first content to sit deep and play for the point it needed.

　　"It was suffering to the end, but it was worth it," said beaming Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso.

　　Figo, who played the ball to Gomes for the goal, added: "We have to be really proud. We did a great job and we're glad to be in the quarterfinals."

　　It marked a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for both sides after the host nation had begun the tournament with a shock 1-2 defeat by Greece while Spain eased past Russia 1-0.

　　Fans of the Iberian neighbors had been on the streets of Lisbon all day in anticipation of the clash but the enormity of the occasion seemed to get to both teams as the opening 20 minutes was punctuated by poor control and misplaced passes.

　　Manchester United teenager Cristiano Ronaldo - given his first start in the championship - teased and taunted the Spanish defense. Figo wove down the opposite flank; the veteran and the upstart switching wings at will to befuddle the Spanish defense.

　　But the Spanish resisted and by halftime it looked like a familiar Portuguese story, lots of imagination, lots of skill, no goals.

　　Scolari sent on Gomes for the ineffective Pedro Pauleta at halftime and the change soon had an impact. Figo slid a pass into his feet at the edge of the box in the 57th minute and the striker turned and fired low past Iker Casillas to send the crowd into raptures.

　　"We have given Portugal a day of joy," Scolari said.

　　"We gave everything we had to give. Without this crowd behind us and the Portuguese people, we wouldn't have been able to do it," added the Brazilian coach, hired by Portugal after he won the 2002 World Cup for his own country.

　　The match was played at a fast and furious pace that intensified after the goal, when the Spanish were staring at elimination.

　　Spain should have leveled two minutes after Gomes' goal when goalkeeper Ricardo failed to punch away a cross, and Raul Gonzalez headed wide of the far post from five meters.

　　Atletico Madrid upstart Fernando Torres came agonizingly close to leveling in the 61st when he ran onto a pass from David Albelda and got clear of the Portuguese defense. Ricardo was beaten, but the shot hit the post.

　　Spain's all-out attack left gaps at the back and Nuno Valente was off target with a free header in the 88th minute.

　　Spanish defender Raul Bravo then made a fantastic goal line clearance to keep out a Nuno Maniche shot and Gomes was foiled by Casillas in injury time before the final whistle sounded to spark a wild night of celebrations in Lisbon.

　　History alas unhappily repeated itself for Spanish football fans.

　　Spain has always produced talented players, but the national team has consistently disappointed in major events and has won just one major title, and that was 40 years ago.

　　The national broadcaster RTVE1 dedicated the first six minutes of the morning news to the team's ouster from Euro 2004.

　　Spanish captain and striker Raul came in for immediate criticism after he failed to score in Spain's three matches.

　　"Raul's head was elsewhere," the commentator said.

　　"As usual," lamented sports daily Marca, listing Spain's early exits from 11 World Cups and European championships, including 1998, 1988, 1982, 1980 and 1978.

　　Two years ago, Spanish fans and media blamed poor refereeing for Spain's ouster in the quarterfinals of the World Cup by South Korea. This time there was none of that. Spain simply played poorly.

　　Spain scored only twice in three games.

　　(Reuters/AP)