Hiddink: Your defence could not cope with pressure

England head coach McClaren, who later condemned a match-changing penalty decision as "an absolute disgrace", failed to react when Hiddink sent on substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko.

The striker scored twice, including the controversial equaliser from the spot, to leave England's hopes of qualifying hanging by a thread.

Hiddink's side travel to Israel and Andorra in their final two group games next month — and England are relying on them to slip up if they are to secure a place at Euro 2008.

Wayne Rooney's stunning volley put McClaren's side ahead before the break, but Russia ripped them apart in a devastating four-minute spell in the second half.

McClaren said Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo's decision to award Russia a 69th-minute penalty was "a disgrace" but Hiddink claimed his rival had been tactically outwitted long before then.

The Dutchman said: "At halftime I made a change and I said 'At the moment we get an equaliser we must press their defence'. I knew it would not be easy but we would get a second. They could not cope with it."

Hiddink sacrificed central defender Vasily Berezutskiy and brought on Dmitry Torbinskiy to torment England's defence, but it was Pavlyuchenko's arrival that changed the game.

"Their defence doesn't like pressure," added Hiddink. "Tactically, I am so pleased. In the first half, our two strikers played up on Joleon Lescott and in between Sol Campbell and Rio Ferdinand. We made the change at half-time to attack them even more by taking off a defender and bringing in a young, creative player.

"We could expect to harm them. England were vulnerable. We made Joe Cole almost play as a left full back and that created a twoon- one situation. That is why we could damage them."

Rooney, who played on despite carrying an injury, tugged back Konstantin Zyryanov, who fell inside the area, although replays showed that the initial offence was committed outside.

McClaren, who will be sacked if England fail to qualify, stormed: "It's an absolute disgrace. It was outside the box. We were in control of the game, we weathered the storm and never looked in any danger.

"Everyone will agree that the foul was outside the box but decisions turn games. 'It was not seen by the linesman, it was given by the referee. The decision has cost us ... five minutes of madness has cost us. I can't fault the players."

McClaren had no answer when Pavlyuchenko stabbed home the winner after goalkeeper Paul Robinson parried Alexey Berezutskiy's effort in the 73rd minute. It took six minutes for the arrival of three substitutes to try to save the game.

McClaren's gamble did not work and England will have to beat Croatia at Wembley on November 21 to stand any chance of qualifying.

By then, Russia could be second in the group if they beat Israel, leaving them with the formality of beating whipping boys Andorra in their final game.

England's 3-0 win over Russia at Wembley last month had appeared to put McClaren's men back on course to qualify but last night some players, including Joe Cole, were close to tears as they left the stadium.

Stand-in skipper Steven Gerrard admitted he should have made it 2-0 with an easy chance at the start of the second half, saying: "The ball took an eternity to come to me but I should have scored. I'm disappointed, I had so much space."

And in a thinly-veiled criticism of Robinson, Gerrard added: "Paul will feel disappointed with the second goal.

"It's unthinkable to have a European Championship finals without England, and as players we have to take responsibility. But the penalty decision turned the whole game.

"Now we're waiting on other people to do us favours. I can't believe it's out of our hands. We worked so hard to put ourselves in the driving seat.

"Football's a cruel game and decisions and mistakes change games."