SOCCER Euro 2008 Qualifier: England 2 Croatia 3A spectacle can never replace a spot at Euro 2008. This uncanny defeat, in which England rallied from 2-0 down to be level briefly, was far too exhilarating before despondency took command.
Manager Steve McClaren must be dismissed because his high-risk strategy and team selection could not deliver the point that was needed.
No one will dwell on the beauty of the visitors' play or the fact the triumph was rightfully theirs. They had spirit as well, re-establishing their lead with a lovely goal from Mladen Petric who received a pass before shaping a handsome finish past Scott Carson.
David Beckham, when he entered the fray, suggested he would rescue his country again. McClaren therefore has the worst of all outcomes, seeing the man he had left out proving him wrong without, in the end, saving his skin.McClaren's judgment can be said to have contributed to the plight. His decision to ditch Paul Robinson in favour of Scott Carson, slid from boldness to recklessness in the public view.
After eight minutes, Darijo Srna squeezed a square pass from the right and Portsmouth's Niko Kranjcar cracked a drive from 25 yards. The ball swerved a little but Carson, in his first competitive international, misread the flight and failed to get his body behind an attempt that bounced in front of him and into the net.
As Eduardo da Silva of Arsenal moved in from the right in the 14th minute, Wayne Bridge stayed deep and so left Ivica Olic onside to gather a slick through ball, walk round Carson and finish. Pain was inflicted on the bulk of the crowd but there was also irony as a by-product. England, after all, had been the side eager to achieve a breakthrough.
When Croatia were not scoring, McClaren's side were quite brisk in the opening quarter of an hour. Shaun Wright-Phillips attempted to demonstrate the vitality that had displaced Beckham. There was havoc when Joe Cole and Crouch worked the ball to the Chelsea winger in the 10th minute. Instead of levelling the game at 1-1, Wright-Phillips shot at the goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa and England could not pounce in the melee.
You soon sensed the crowd savouring the jeers they would direct as the team trudged off at the interval. All the disadvantages of the 4-1-4-1 system were apparent, while its merits had gone into hiding. The crowded midfield was stodgy and dull-witted, while the lone striker Crouch became isolated.
The bid for a remedy took an inevitable form. Beckham emerged for the second-half, taking over from Wright-Phillips. Jermain Defoe was brought on as well, with the holding player no longer relevant. It was Beckham who got the immediate attention and McClaren's embarrassment would have been washed away by the sudden excitement.
There was expectation when the former captain soon had a free-kick from which he had ensured England's qualification for the 2002 World Cup against Greece. This time the effort clipped the wall and went behind.
Croatia were stimulated as well and in the 53rd minute Eduardo was outpacing Sol Campbell and seeing the ball knocked off-target by the foot of Carson. The England goal that came two minutes later had none of the verve of Croatia's play, but it did illustrate vulnerability in Slaven Bilic's side. As Joe Cole lifted over a cross the panicking Josip Simunic tugged back Defoe. Frank Lampard converted the penalty with commendable comfort.
Croatia, though, were not minded to capitulate, even if the game had no practical significance. Luka Modric stroked a pass to Olic, whose finish skimmed the top of the crossbar after 58th minutes. The same attacker was soon heading against the chest of Carson.
Nothing though could stop Beckham, whose career has be a triumph of melodrama. Micah Richards tackled forcefully to send the ball in his direction after 67 minutes. Beckham swung a cross over and Crouch took the delivery on his chest before firing past Pletikosa. The good cheer was not to last.
Guardian Service
ENGLAND: Carson, Richards, Campbell, Lescott, Bridge, Wright-Phillips (Beckham 46), Gerrard, Barry (Defoe 46), Lampard, Joe Cole (Bent 80), Crouch. Subs Not Used: James, Ashley Cole, Brown, Hargreaves. Goals: Lampard 56 pen, Crouch 65.
CROATIA: Pletikosa, Corluka, Simic, Robert Kovac, Simunic, Srna, Modric, Nico Kovac,
Kranjcar (Pranjic 75), Olic (Rakitic 84), Eduardo (Petric 69). Subs Not Used: Runje, Babic, Knezevic, Leko. Booked: Robert Kovac, Eduardo. Goals: Kranjcar 8, Olic 14, Petric 77.
Referee: Peter Frojdfeldt (Sweden).
