England needed just 1 point to reach the finals, but instead went down 2-0 inside 15 minutes after a big blunder by rookie goalkeeper Scott Carson on the first goal. The youngster, was plunged into the biggest game of his life in place of Paul Robinson, just five days after his international debut in the friendly with Austria. He could not have endured a more nightmarish evening. With just 8 minutes on the clock, Carson let Niko Kranjcar’s 25-yard effort slipped through his fingers and into his goal.

6 minutes later, Carson hesitated again when Eduardo Da Silva beat central defenders Joloen Lescott and Sol Campbell and threaded through to Ivica Olic. Olic then rounded Carson and tapped the ball into an open net. A capacity Wembley crowd was shell-shocked.

David Beckham was brought on after half time, and his appearance on the right flank inspired England. After Frank Lampard converted from the penalty spot, Beckham delivered a precision cross to Crouch, who brought the ball down before hitting the net in the 66th.

Having fought back from conceding two goals inside the first quarter of an hour and get to within 13 minutes of the draw would have been sufficient to qualify them to Austria and Switzerland. This is not going to be, England saw their qualification hopes shattered by Petric’s powerful shot. Substitute Mladen Petric took a pass from Dnijel Prajic and, from 25 yards out, fired a shot across Carson and into the opposite corner of the net. There was no way back and surely no way McClaren can hold onto his job.