Goran Ljubojevic opened the scoring for the Croats in the 11th minute of the first period and Ljubojevic was again the scorer by making the most of Englands defensive frailties after they failed to clear a cross.
England who must have been thinking the game was bad enough already, were about to find out it was going to get worse, Arsenal youngster Jermaine Pennant foolishly got himself sent off on the hour for punching out at Niko Kranjcar in the face on the hour, and England were down to 10.
With a few minutes remaining on the clock, the scoring was completed when Marijan Buljat chipped Matt Murray in the England goal to make it 3-0 in a game where David Platt's side always struggled to match the creativity and play of the Croatians.
England Lineup :
Murray, Johnson, Konchesky, Prutton, Parnaby, Clarke (Jagielka 74), Pennant, Jenas, Jeffers (Carlton Cole 70), Defoe, Barry (Sidwell 46).