Capello content as Andorra hit for six

ENGLAND manager Fabio Capello is refusing to look too far ahead after seeing his side sweep aside Andorra 6-0 at Wembley.

Wayne Rooney and substitute Jermain Defoe scored two goals each and Frank Lampard and Peter Crouch were also on target in an easy win.

The hosts have now won all seven of their matches in World Cup qualifying Group Six and are all but assured of a place at next year’s tournament.

But Capello is concentrating on just getting there. “You have to win another game to be sure of going to South Africa,” he said.

“We have created a group. This is important, the spirit of the group. We always play to win.”

After hitting their part-time opponents for six, just as they did against Luxembourg a decade ago, the Three Lions know a win against Croatia on September 9 will seal a place at next year’s World Cup with two games to spare.

And if England make it, Fabio Capello will want Rooney in the same form as he has showed this season, his latest brace enough for him to streak clear in the World Cup qualifying sharp-shooters table with eight goals.

Frank Lampard’s effort was sandwiched in between and half-time substitute Defoe scored twice in as many minutes before Peter Crouch netted his 14th goal in 16 international starts.

Though Defoe could be particularly pleased with his cameo, Rooney was the name on supporters’ lips as they began a journey home somewhat more testing than anything Andorra provided for their team.

Rooney drilled home a couple of close-range efforts before the interval as England disposed of their part-time opponents with the minimum of fuss.

As Rooney notoriously hates missing any football, he might not have taken his interval substitution too well, particularly as the opposition suggested a first England hat-trick was on the cards.

However, in replacing both Rooney and Gerrard with Defoe and Ashley Young, Capello was able to have a decent look at a couple of the fringe players. Defoe took his chance well scoring twice, Johnson setting up the first to take his number of assists to three, in a similar manner to Rooney before Crouch tapped home after a woeful mistake from Alvarez.

ENGLAND: Green, Johnson, Lescott, Terry, A Cole (Bridge 63), Walcott, Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard (Young 46), Rooney (Defoe 46), Crouch. ANDORRA: Alvarez (Gomez 89), Ayala, Ildefons Lima, Sonejee, Antoni Lima (Vales 47), Txema Garcia, Jimenez, Andorra, Vieira, Moreno, Silva (Fernandez 79).

Referee: Hendrikus Nijhuis (Netherlands).