We can still win the group, says Eriksson

It was not, Sven Goran Eriksson assured everyone, his most disappointing result in life. What that might have been remained a mystery. But as far as his career as England's coach was concerned, then the answer was yes.

"As an important game I should say so, yes,'' he said in the wake of England's error-strewn 2-2 draw last night. "Because we should have won. We were a little bit unlucky, but we should have won and we didn't do it.'' Eriksson, however, will press on in expectation rather than hope and he insists that his team can make up the ground they have lost so far to the Group Seven leaders Turkey.

"Of course they have an advantage,'' he said. "They have played one more game than us, they have nine points while we have only four. But I think we can win the group anyhow. It's a little bit more difficult now, we have to pick up both the points we lost tonight, but we can do it. We lost two games in the last World Cup qualification and it was more difficult then.''

England's coach acknowledged that this team's failure to secure more than a point in their second Euro 2004 qualifier was as a result of two basic defensive errors, the most egregious of which occurred as David Seaman allowed Artim Sakiri's corner to pass beyond his flapping arm and directly into goal for Macedonia's early opener.

"It was a well-taken corner and I think that David misjudged the ball which was coming with a lot of pace on it. I have just spoken a little to David and I think that is what happened. There's nothing to be said about it. It's done now. It's a pity, of course. Bad luck.''

Asked if he would be happy to see other goalkeepers pressing the veteran incumbent for his place, Eriksson responded that he had another four months to consider rival claims before England's next match in February. "I think especially David James and Paul Robinson are pressing,'' he said. "But David Seaman has not lost his place in the team. Absolutely not.''

Asked why he had altered the balance of his side by taking off home player Wayne Bridge, who had spent a profitable hour combining down the left with full-back Ashley Cole, Eriksson responded: "If you can't score a third goal I think you have to try with a third attacker on the pitch.

"I think we played rather good before the substitution ­ and after it. But we were always chasing a goal and that means you take risks and are more open to counter-attacks. We were not always well organised.''