Capello cup bid opens with Andorra

LONDON, England -- Fabio Capello's first competitive match as England coach will be away to Andorra in September after the dates were agreed for their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign on Monday.

Capello emerged from an eight-hour meeting in Zagreb to announce a list which includes two September clashes against Croatia, whose wins over England in Euro 2008 qualifying cost Steve McClaren his job.

Italian Capello will be back in Zagreb to face Slaven Bilic's Croatia immediately after the Andorra game, with the return encounter at Wembley 12 months later.

England will conclude their Group 6 campaign against Belarus at Wembley on October 14, 2009, four days after a trip to Kiev to face Ukraine.

Capello hopes the potentially sweltering temperatures in Kazakhstan when his side visit in June will be negated by an evening kick-off.

The FA's director of football development Trevor Brooking, accompanied Capello into the meeting.

"We are reasonably pleased with how it worked out," Brooking said. "He (Capello) wanted Croatia twice in September - he was really relaxed about whether we were home or away.

"It has worked out quite nicely that we have a free Saturday before the home game. He also wanted to start with Andorra.

"The two summer games weren't quite as bad as normal. It is unfortunate we are not involved in the tournament coming up, so players will have a long rest this summer. He just felt it was an opportunity to get them away for a period of time.

"We have to make sure we get an evening kick-off for the Kazakhstan game but if you are going to have to play two matches in June, they are the ones you would have chosen."

England's World Cup qualification fixtures:

Andorra (a) September 6, 2008

Croatia (a) September 10, 2008

Kazakhstan (h) October 11, 2008

Belarus (a) October 15, 2008

Ukraine (h) April 1, 2009

Kazakhstan (a) June 6, 2009

Andorra (h) June 10, 2009

Croatia (h) September 9, 2009

Ukraine (a) October 10, 2009

Belarus (h) October 14, 2009 E-mail to a friend