Cole double gives England winning start

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The Chelsea midfielder has not been in the first XI for the last four internationals but his contribution after coming on as a second-half substitute means he is in pole position to play against Croatia in Zagreb on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old had come off the bench to net a last-gasp equaliser in last month's friendly international with the Czech Republic and he scored twice in the space of six minutes against the minnows of Andorra early in the second half to ease the frustration of the players and supporters after an uninspiring first 45 minutes.

Capello will be aware England will have to play at a higher level when the qualification programme starts in earnest against Slaven Bilic's side, who ended their hopes of qualifying for the Euro 2008 finals.

For all their possession, England had only a couple of half-chances to show for their efforts and failed to produce a single on-target effort in the opening 45 minutes.

Theo Walcott found Wayne Rooney, without an international goal for 11 months, in some space just inside the Andorran box and he would have been disappointed not to have at least hit the target as his left-footed drive flew over the bar.

Frank Lampard reacted quickly on the edge of the Andorran penalty area and his well struck shot on the turn flew only a yard wide.

It was no surprise that Stewart Downing was replaced by Cole for the second half with Capello also bringing on Emile Heskey in place of Jermain Defoe to partner Rooney.

Fernando Silva was yellow-carded for bringing down Glen Johnson - and from the free-kick by Lampard, England broke the deadlock after 49 minutes. Joleon Lescott was first to react to the ball into the box by the Chelsea midfielder and, when it was turned back across the box, Cole volleyed home in clinical fashion.

Six minutes later Cole struck for the second time. Gareth Barry and Rooney were involved in the build-up before the Chelsea man's first-time effort beat Koldo's dive. The tension had been eased and Johnson thought he had added a third with a fierce low drive only for Cole to have strayed offside.