Group E/Andorra 0 England 3:England's win was so dispiriting that the greatest passion shown by their fans came as they called, from an early stage, for Steve McClaren to be sacked. Further protests against the manager in Estonia in June could well bring his downfall and he will be without Wayne Rooney there, following an unruly display that ensured his second booking of the campaign.
McClaren's team were fated, prior to kick-off, to drop to fourth in the group and a pair of goals by Steven Gerrard barely raised the spirits, even if it was pleasant enough to see the substitute Kevin Nugent score in the 90th minute.
There was a hostile crowd in Barcelona's Olympic Stadium, with virtually every member of it English. With 20 minutes gone there had been booing of Stewart Downing and of a misdirected volley from Rooney.
These opponents may hardly be the equal of England, but they stayed level for far too long, considering that Andorra had previously conceded 19 goals in Group E. There may have been time-wasting from David Rodrigo's players, but the visitors misused the passing minutes in their own way.
On a cold night the confidence iced up first, concerted moves were rare and accuracy of crossing looked unattainable. This, nonetheless, was a team selection that had, in advance, seemed as if it would benefit from an improved balance. Without Frank Lampard, who was either dropped or unfit with a wrist injury depending on which source you trusted, Gerrard could fill the central midfield position.
The wind may have been inconvenient, but Gerrard would not have sought commiserations for overhitting a free-kick. That sort of blunder puts ideas in people's minds and fans cheered themselves by chanting "There's only one David Beckham".
As the first half ground to a close, Oscar Sonejee was complaining that Rooney had struck him. The forward had not recovered his composure by then and nor had most of his team-mates. Downing, with the simplest opening of all from a Micah Richards cross, had volleyed over. Andorra went down the tunnel celebrating; their best score at the interval in the four previous qualifiers had seen them 2-0 down. On that occasion they went on to concede a further five to Croatia.
Mounting tiredness was inevitable in a line-up featured just one full-timer, Marc Bernaus of the Spanish club Elche. Andorra, with the bitter wind in their faces, were being blown off-course and England scored at last in the 54th minute. An Aaron Lennon cross was cleared poorly and Rooney set up Gerrard to pilot a low drive home from the edge of the area.
Then the Liverpool midfielder, in the 76th minute, ran on to a pass from the substitute Jermain Defoe to slip the ball home before Nugent got the third.
ANDORRA:Alvarez, Sonejee, Lima, Ayala, Bernaus, Escura, Vieira, Genis Garcia, Justo (Fernandez 88), Pujol (Martinez 69), Toscano (Moreno 90). Subs Not Used: Alfonso Sanchez, Somoza, Rubio, Jimenez. Booked: Lima, Toscano, Sonejee, Genis Garcia.
ENGLAND:Robinson, Richards (Dyer 61), Terry, Ferdinand, Cole, Lennon, Hargreaves, Gerrard, Downing, Johnson (Nugent 79), Rooney (Defoe 61). Subs Not Used: Foster, Carragher, Barry, Carrick. Booked: Rooney, Hargreaves, Cole. Goals: Gerrard 54, 76, Nugent 90.
Referee:Bruno Miguel Duarte Paixao (Portugal).
