England threw away a two goal lead and what looked like a certain three points in their opening World Cup Qualifier against Austria in Vienna. Goals from Frank Lampard on 24 minutes slotting home a well worked free-kick and a screamer from Steven Gerrard on 64 minutes put England in complete control but Austria fought back brilliantly to score two goals in three minutes to stun Sven Goran Eriksson’s side. Keeper David James totally at fault for Austria’s equaliser letting a soft shot from outside the box under his body and not a good night overall for the Manchester City goalkeeper.

Gerrard told Sky Sports afterwards: "We let them back in it and didn't play well for the last 20-25 minutes. I don't know why - it's hard to put your finger on it - but we're going to have to have a look at the tapes of the game. But we've got characters in the changing room.

"We win, lose and draw together so we'll stick together and pick ourselves up for Wednesday night."

Gerrard - an injury doubt before the game with a groin injury - revealed he was taken by surprise at his substitution towards the end of the match.

He explained: "It was a bit of a misunderstanding.

"Wayne Bridge had a kick on his Achilles and I signalled to the bench to change him - and they changed me. I thought the manager wanted me to come off but he thought I had signalled to come off - it's one of those things, I can't do anything about it. But the groin has held up well tonight."

England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson was not keen to condemn James for his second-half slips.

"Ask me on Tuesday, maybe. But he has saved us so many times before - so it's not a problem."

"We did well in the first half and had complete control of the game. They pushed some players up in the second half but I don't think they created any good chances at all. We should have made it 3-0 and with 20 minutes to go it looked like we should win the game - although not easily. But in football sometimes you play well enough to win the game and you don't - unfortunately."

England captain David Beckham stressed the importance of looking forward - rather than back.

He explained: "We have to forget this and pick ourselves up for the game on Wednesday. I think we deserved three points and should have come away with them but we have to look forward now and forget about this. We would have settled for four points out of the two games - now we've got to win the game in Poland.

"If we'd carried three points into that game it would have taken some of the pressure off us - but now we've got to go over there and win. It couldn't have been a better performance for 70 minutes tonight - but then it all went wrong.

"Maybe we sat back a little bit more, but when you play a team who hit you with long balls sometimes it works for them - and it did in the last 20 minutes. They scored from a free-kick and a shot from 25 yards out - other than that they had no chances."