Group E: After all the debate over the shape England ought to adopt, Croatia decreed that it would be a severely dented one.

The damage is severe as well for Steve McClaren, whose strategy was supposed to help the team get forward. His players merely moved mechanically and if there is any consolation for the goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who missed his kick and let a Gary Neville backpass roll into his net, it is that England, already a goal behind, were unlikely to score

McClaren, on his fifth match in charge, already has on his record a defeat that will trail him through many fixtures to come. It is sure to be there, mentioned aloud or hovering unspoken over every occasion. He already knew the job could be like that, but he has to tremble early. At the minimum Group E is now converted into a challenge where, before Saturday's draw with Macedonia, it had promised to be a sinecure.

Everything is in doubt, with even the manager's future already overcast. It took Sven-Goran Eriksson four years before humiliation had to be endured in Northern Ireland, his sole defeat in a qualifier. As if the grilling over tactics were not sufficient, McClaren must face questioning of his worth as a motivator, especially since he had made so much beforehand of character and the requirement for an "English performance". The latter term, with its macho overtones, is overblown at the best of times and utterly absurd in the wake of a night such as this.

England, particularly in the first half, enjoyed a good share of possession without having any notion of what to do with it.

This sort of debacle is not complete without a piece of ignominious irony and Neville must bear it. Having missed a fine chance to score on Saturday the full-back now has his first goal in England's colours, much as he would love to disown it.

At least it is Robinson who will go down in folklore as the culprit. Having got no boot on the ball he indicated that there had been a bobble, but a shortage of sympathisers is inevitable. Until then he had pulled off a few saves as he aimed for a seventh consecutive clean sheet with England.

No one was to reach their target in McClaren's side. In a supposedly beefed-up midfield the trio of Scott Parker, Michael Carrick and Frank Lampard all had an insipidness that seeped out to taint the entire team. Croatia had a far greater sense of the architecture of a performance, establishing a basis for victory in the first half and relishing the topping-off ceremony well before the full-time whistle.

There were very few distractions from their labours. Wayne Rooney, zealous yet no nearer the aplomb that is meant to characterise him, did get behind Robert Kovac when the game was goalless, but his drive sailed high. It was an evening otherwise crammed with woe for England and Rio Ferdinand, already booked, might have been dismissed for a foul on Luka Modric.

In a sense the formation had been a secondary factor when standards were so low. Not even marking could be guaranteed. When Niko Kovac crossed deep after an hour neither John Terry nor anyone else marked Eduardo da Silva and the striker put a looping header over a stranded Robinson for the opener.

It was improbable that Croatia would not make a breakthrough. England, for whom the substitute Phil Neville injured a hamstring in the pre-match warm-up, will feel ill-starred, but the fates were the least of their trouble. Croatia's nominal wingers Milan Rapaic and Portsmouth's Niko Kranjcar savoured the night efficiently to show that there was definitely no gain in using three centre-backs.

When Rapaic crossed in the 27th minute Robinson had to save a Kranjcar volley.

Croatia were more intimidating 10 minutes later. Vedran Corluka sent a well paced pass down the right and Rapaic, clear of Ashley Cole, went to the byline before delivering a cut-back to Kranjcar. His effort was deflected behind off Ferdinand. Another Kranjcar shot ensued and had to be pushed away by Robinson.

The goalkeeper, dealing with a Petric header soon after the interval, may have been conned into believing this was his night. He would readily have been pardoned for that and there had been far more pernicious delusions around. McClaren himself had talked constantly of the need for improvement, but the manager could not have anticipated such vapidity.

CROATIA: Pletikosa, Simic, Simunic, Robert Kovac, Corluka, Rapaic (Olic 76), Nico Kovac, Modric, Kranjcar (Babic 89), Eduardo (Leko 81), Petric. Subs Not Used: Runje, Knezevic, Seric, Klasnic. Booked: Nico Kovac. Goals: Eduardo 61, Gary Neville 69 og.

ENGLAND: Robinson, Carragher (Wright-Phillips 73), Ferdinand, Terry, Gary Neville, Carrick, Parker (Defoe 72), Lampard, Cole, Rooney, Crouch (Richardson 72). Subs Not Used: Phil Neville, Kirkland, Jenas, Bent. Booked: Ferdinand, Cole. Att: 38,000.

Referee: R Rosetti (Italy).