Defeat in Russia Leaves England on the Brink

If England is out of Euro 2008 finals, McClaren may be done as coach
By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 18, 2007 4:22 AM CDT
Defeat in Russia Leaves England on the Brink
England's Wayne Rooney, center, falls over Russia's Diniyar Bilyaletdinov during their Euro 2008, Group E, qualifying soccer match at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007. Russia won 2-1. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)   (Associated Press)

England allowed Russia no shots on goal in last night's Euro 2008 qualifying match, but "five minutes of madness" gave Russia a 2-1win that could keep England from advancing to next summer's finals. Wayne Rooney's penalty on Roman Pavlyuchenko turned the tide of a game that England was supposed to take handily, reports the London Times.

Rooney, who scored England's only goal, seemed to be outside the box when the "disgraceful" penalty was called on him. Pavlyuchenko scored on the penalty, then converted on a rebound to take the game for Russia. To avoid elimination and prevent the sacking of coach Steve McClaren, England must defeat Croatia, and hope Russia doesn't win both of its remaining games. (More Euro 2008 stories.)

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