England coach Sven Goran Eriksson was happy with his side's performance, saying afterwards: "We beat a very good team and that was a good preparation game ahead of the games against Macedonia and Liechtenstein.

"We scored three goals and all the players coming on did very well."

Sven, however, acknowledged that the match wasn't all plain sailing for his charges as the Croatians created chances in a somewhat shaky first-half: "They had some great chances in the first half and David James saved us with two or three very, very good saves.

"We played well in the first 25 minutes but they took over the game and it was very easy for them [Croatia] to play.

Like the match against Slovakia at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium, England played better football in the second period.

"At half time we talked about keeping the ball a little bit better. In the first half we played too many long balls and they started to attack.

"We know they are a tall team and we could have marked better.

"But apart from the last 15 or 20 mins of the first half I think we did okay.

"Croatia have a very good team and this is a very good result.

"We defended very well but there was too much distance between defence and midfield, and midfield and attack - and it's difficult to defend when it's like that."

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