ENGLAND OUT OF EURO 2008, First Time in 23 Years

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ENGLAND OUT OF EURO 2008, First Time in 23 Years

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BREAKING NEWS: England's Euro 2008 hopes have been dashed at Wembley as they lost 3-2 to already-qualified Croatia having fought their way back from 2-0 down to briefly taste the draw they needed to go through.

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 long-range shot by Niko Kranjcar to skid off past him and into the net, and it looked all over when Ivica Olic doubled the lead six minutes later.

England got level with a 56th-minute Frank Lampard penalty followed by a great goal by striker Peter Crouch, who expertly controlled a David Beckham cross before volleying the goal that had the home fans dreaming.

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 - allowing Russia to climb above England and take second place in Group E.

-Reuters