By Xinhua
London : England were the biggest casualty as Russia, Sweden, Turkey and Portugal became the last four qualifiers for next year’s European championship.
England were beaten 3-2 by Croatia at Wembley Stadium Wednesday night, which means they will miss the Euro 2008 finals. This is the first time since 1984 that England will not figure in the Euro finals.
Russia were the 16th and final team to reach Euro 2008 to be co-hosted by Switzerland and Austria next June, after Croatia overtook England in Group E with a 1-0 victory in Andorra. Croatia had already qualified last weekend.
The two host nations Austria and Switzerland qualified automatically.
Sweden booked their place with a 2-1 victory over Latvia in Stockholm, Turkey made sure with a 1-0 win over visitors Bosnia and a 0-0 draw was enough for Portugal at home to Finland.
The night’s drama was at Wembley, where England needed only a draw to go through but were 2-0 down within 14 minutes after goals from Niko Kranjcar and Ivica Olic.
They rallied in the second half with a Frank Lampard penalty and a 65th minute strike by Peter Crouch, only to squander their chance to qualify by conceding a third goal to substitute Mladen Petric in the 77th minute.
England coach Steve McClaren, who has been under pressure from the sceptical British media for most of the campaign, made it clear he would not resign.
“I’ve no intention of doing that, I’ve no intention of discussing my future,” McClaren told Sky Sports News.
The Football Association called an emergency board meeting.
Former captain David Beckham, who picked up his 99th cap after coming on as a substitute to set up Crouch’s equaliser, said: “Everyone’s down, everyone’s disappointed”.
Dmitri Sychev, who hit the post in Russia’s 2-1 defeat by Israel Saturday, made no mistake this time by heading Russia’s winner in Andorra to seal their place.
Striker Nihat Kahveci fired Turkey’s winner against Bosnia in Istanbul, while Sweden’s Kim Kallstrom got their second goal against Latvia in a game they only needed to draw.
Germany were the first country to emerge from the group competition in mid-October, while the 2006 World Cup winners Italy and runner-up France were among those to come through last weekend along with fellow favourites Netherlands.
Holders Greece — the surprise winners at Euro 2004 — Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Croatia complete the line-up along with hosts Austria and Switzerland.