Double Dutch for Van Nistelrooy

Ruud van Nistelrooy struck twice as Holland got their World Cup qualifying campaign back on track with a 3-1 win over Group One leaders Finland.

Marco van Basten’s side were held to a draw in Macedonia at the weekend and fell 1-0 behind when Finland’s Teemu Tainio struck early in Amsterdam.

But the Dutch rallied with two in the space of two minutes just before the break from Wesley Sneijder and Manchester United striker Van Nistelrooy.

Van Nistelrooy then wrapped up the win with his second just after the hour.

The three points lifted Holland into third in the group after FYR Macedonia suffered a shock 1-0 defeat in Andorra.

Marc Benaus scored the only goal in Andorra La Vella after 60 minutes to give his side their first win in a competitive international.

The Czech Republic are just a point behind the Dutch after following up Saturday’s win over Romania with a 3-0 success in Armenia.

Jan Koller set the Czechs on the way when he headed home a third-minute free-kick and the Borussia Dortmund striker added a late second after a superb Tomas Rosicky strike had doubled the lead.

Ukraine moved above Turkey to take top spot in Group Two with a 2-0 win over Georgia in Lviv.

Oleksiy Bielik and Andrei Shevchenko were the men on target for Ukraine while Turkey were held 1-1 by Denmark in Copenhagen.

Kahveci Nihat grabbed the Turks’ equaliser after Jon Dahl Tomasson had put the home side ahead from the penalty spot.

In the other group match Albania beat Kazakhstan 1-0 in Almaty.

Serbia & Montenegro took advantage of Spain’s goalless draw in Lithuania to take a two-point lead at the top of Group Seven with a 5-0 hammering of San Marino.

Dejan Stankovic struck twice with Savo Milosevic, Ognjen Koroman and Zvominir Vukic also scoring in Belgrade.

Sweden are the new leaders of Group Eight after a convincing 4-1 win over Iceland in Reykjavik.

All the Swedish goals came in the first half, two from Henrik Larsson and one each from Marcus Allback and Christian Wilhelmsson. Chelsea’s Eidur Gudjohnsen scored Iceland’s consolation.

Bulgaria matched Sweden in Sofia with a comfortable win over Malta. Michael Mifsud put Malta ahead early but Bulgaria responded with Dimitar Berbatov netting twice and Hristo Yanev and Chavdar Yankov also on target.

France earned their second win of their Group Four campaign with a 2-0 success over Cyprus in Nicosia.

Arsenal striker Thierry Henry and former Gunners team-mate Sylvain Wiltord grabbed the goals but the 1998 world champions remain behind the Republic of Ireland on goal difference.

Italy held on to overcome 10-man Belarus 4-3 in Parma to leapfrog Slovenia and go top of Group Five.

Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi put Italy ahead but Maxim Romaschenko pulled one back.

Totti struck again to restore the two-goal cushion only for Vitaliy Bulyga to grab Belarus’ second.

Alberto Gilardino secured the win but Romaschenko made Italy sweat with his second two minutes from time but Belarus had Sergei Yaskovich sent off in injury time.

Slovenia were beaten 3-0 in Norway after goals from John Carew, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Alexander Odegaard.