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England's hopes of a place in the Euro 2008 soccer finals disappeared at Wembley today when they lost 3-2 to Croatia after fighting back from conceding two early goals to pull level at 2-2.
Instead of hanging on to the point that would have secured their place in Austria and Switzerland, they conceded a third goal 13 minutes from time, allowing Russia to steal into second place in Group E and qualify with Croatia.
It will be the first time since 1984 that England miss out on the European Championship finals and the first time since the 1994 World Cup that they have failed to qualify for a major tournament - putting the future of coach Steve McClaren in doubt.
The home crowd was stunned after eight minutes when Scott Carson, controversially chosen in goal after making his debut in a friendly only last week, allowed a speculative shot by Niko Kranjcar to skid off him and into the net, and it looked all over when Ivica Olic doubled the lead six minutes later.
England pulled level with a 56th-minute Frank Lampard penalty followed by a great goal by striker Peter Crouch, who expertly controlled a cross from halftime substitute David Beckham before volleying the equaliser.
Croatia, though, continued to look dangerous and won it in the 77th-minute when substitute Mladen Petric lashed in a shot from the edge of the box.
The Croatians will be among the second seeds when the draw for the finals is made in Lucerne, Switzerland on December 2.
Kranjcar put Croatia ahead with a curling, right-footed shot from 25 metres which Carson should have saved. The ball bounced just in front of the awkwardly-positioned keeper on the slippery surface, hit his chest and bounced past him high into the back of the net.
If that was not bad enough for England, worse was to follow six minutes later. Croatia counter-attacked after an England raid broke down with Eduardo da Silva breaking in space on the right from the halfway line.
Central defenders Sol Campbell and Joleon Lescott failed to cut out his clever through ball to Olic, who beat the offside trap, rounded Carson and stroked the ball into the empty net to make it 2-0.
England were missing the injured Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and John Terry and the suspended Rio Ferdinand.
They started the game in their usual high-tempo fashion in a 4-5-1 formation with Peter Crouch as the lone striker.
As the game developed on the slippery, rain-lashed surface, Croatia looked totally in control with England's passing going astray in midfield and Crouch's headed knock-downs failing to produce meaningful attempts from any of the advancing midfielders.
England, though, clawed their way back into the game with two goals in nine minutes midway through the second half.
Manager Steve McClaren brought on David Beckham, winning his 99th cap, and striker Jermain Defoe at halftime and they each had a hand in the England goals though for different reasons.
Swedish referee Peter Frojdfeldt ruled that Josip Simunic had fouled Defoe after 56 minutes and awarded a penalty against the Croatia defender. Lampard duly sent Stipe Pletikosa the wrong way from the spot to halve the arrears.
Beckham then created the equaliser nine minutes later with a perfect, trademark cross from the right which Crouch dealt with brilliantly. The lanky striker chested down the cross and waited till the ball dropped before volleying wide of Pletikosa.
Instead of allowing England to settle for a draw, Croatia pressed for a winner and Petric delivered, his low, angled left-footed drive flying past Carson and inside the far post.
Full list of 16 nations competing at the Euro 2008 soccer finals:
Austria (co-hosts), Czech Republic, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland (co-hosts), Turkey
- REUTERS
