England draw favourable conclusion

SOCCER EURO 2012:ENGLAND HAVE been handed a favourable fixture list in their Euro 2012 qualification campaign beginning with the first competitive Friday night kick-off at the new Wembley against Bulgaria on September 3rd.

The new international calendar will see double-headers played on Fridays and Tuesdays, and Fabio Capello’s men continue their Group G campaign away to Switzerland four days later and then face a home match against Montenegro in October.

The most eagerly-anticipated games will be against Wales at the Millennium Stadium on March 26th, 2011, and at Wembley on September 6th later that year.

The draw for the fixtures was conducted yesterday in Tel Aviv after the other teams in England’s group failed to agree a schedule between themselves.

English FA officials were relieved that the draw has seen them avoid June matches in Bulgaria and Montenegro where the heat could have proved a problem.

They host the Swiss in June and travel to Bulgaria in early September. England finish their campaign away to Montenegro on October 7th.

Wales face a tricky start, away to Montenegro on September 3rd followed by a home match with Bulgaria the following month.

They travel to Switzerland and are at home to Montenegro either side of their home match against England. Wales take on the Swiss in Cardiff in October 2011 and finish their campaign away to Bulgaria on October 11th.

Group G

2010: Fri, Sep 3rd – Montenegro v Wales, England v Bulgaria. Tue, Sep 7th – Bulgaria v Montenegro, Switzerland v England. Fri, Oct 8th – Montenegro v Switzerland, Wales v Bulgaria. Tue, Oct 12th – England v Montenegro, Switzerland v Wales. 2011: Sat, Mar 26th – Wales v England, Bulgaria v Switzerland. Sat, Jun 4th – Montenegro v Bulgaria, England v Switzerland. Fri, Sep 2nd – Wales v Montenegro, Bulgaria v England. Tue, Sep 6th – England v Wales, Switzerland v Bulgaria. Fri, Oct 7th – Montenegro v England, Wales v Switzerland. Tue, Oct 11th – Bulgaria v Wales, Switzerland v Montenegro.