Soccer giant England's so-called brave new world under Steve McClaren came to a juddering halt on Wednesday as they were outplayed by Croatia, going down to a 2-0 defeat in their Euro 2008 qualifier.
The only consolation for England fans bitter at the manner of their World Cup quarter-final exit to Portugal was that the Portuguese were the other surprise losers of the night going down 2-1 away to Poland, seemingly revitalized under veteran Dutchman Leo Beenhakker.
Otherwise normal service was resumed as world champions Italy won their second successive match with a 3-1 away win on a rainy night in Georgia, Germany continued their seemingly remorseless rise back to the top of the table with a 4-1 walloping of Slovakia in Bratislava and World Cup finalists France rebounded from Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Scotland to beat Faroe Islands 5-0.
PHOTO: EPA
Scotland suffered a reaction to their glorious Saturday by losing 2-0 away at Ukraine -- though they retained the lead in Group B by virtue of their head-to-head record with the French.
Elsewhere Wales and the Republic of Ireland saved face -- and perhaps their respective coach's jobs John Toshack and Steve Staunton -- as the Welsh beat Cyprus -- 5-2 victors over the Irish on Saturday -- 3-1 while the Republic of Ireland drew 1-1 at home to Euro 2004 semi-finalists Czech Republic.
England's defeat, though, was the standout result of the night as McClaren's decision to play 3-5-2 -- in response to the underwhelming 0-0 home draw with Macedonia on Saturday -- came off distinctly second best to Croatia and their coach Slaven Bilic.
Goals by Edouardo Da Silva and a desperate own-goal by Gary Neville -- who had never scored for England before but probably would have preferred not to get off the mark in this fashion -- did for England.
However, McClaren, who took over from Sven-Goran Eriksson after the World Cup, was not going to hide behind his players over excuses for the defeat.
"It was my decision to change. We've lost the game so obviously the tactics did not work," he said. "The team tried and the players did the jobs they were told to do. It has not worked and we have lost the game."
He also accepted in admirable style that he expected to get a full blast from an English media never shy about attacking England managers and especially those who don't believe he deserved the job in the first place.
"It is part of the job," McClaren said.
"I have been around the scene for five years and I know what it entails. I pick the team, pick the tactics, the shape to win a game. If we win I accept the plaudits. If we lose I accept the criticism. That is part of the job," he said.
Italy coach Roberto Donadoni praised his players after their victory, made considerably easier with the sending-off of Jaba Kankava on the hour.
However Donadoni, who was a member of the Italy side that lost in the 1990 World Cup semi-finals on penalties and to Brazil in another shootout in the 1994 final, played down the Scottish defeat and focussed on his team who with Ukraine and France in the group as well still face a tough task to qualify.
"To come here and get a result may seem easy, but easy it certainly wasn't. In fact there were times when we really suffered," Donadoni said.
Germany were in rampant form as they made it three wins from three drawing to within a point of group leaders Czech Republic and with a game in hand.
Chief inspiration was Polish-born striker Lukas Podolski, who redeemed himself in exemplary fashion after being sent-off in a friendly last Saturday by scoring two of their goals.
"We have continued where we left off at the World Cup," said 21-year-old Podolski, who took his tally to a pretty impressive 23 in 38 internationals.
Another striker to get a brace was France's David Trezeguet, who put aside his poor display against the Scots to gain a morale booster, albeit against the amateurs of the Faroe Islands.
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