Group F/Northern Ireland 2 Sweden 1: Wednesday nights at Windsor Park, said Lawrie Sanchez, are "magical". So it proved once again last night. Where England and Spain have fallen in recent times, Sweden followed and once again it was Northern Ireland's modern magician David Healy who was responsible. Healy has scored all the Irish goals that have beaten these teams and here, brilliantly, he nabbed another pair.

It means the 27-year-old, who struggles to start for Leeds United, has 29 goals in 56 internationals. Healy's double, scored after Sweden had gone ahead through Johan Elmander, means nine in six in this campaign and, quite remarkably, Northern Ireland top the group. It is the first time they have topped a group since 1988.

Sanchez surprised the locals with his team selection. Kyle Lafferty, Healy's foil, was dropped in favour of Warren Feeney.

"After Saturday I was glad to get a run for half an hour - I've been chomping at the bit to start," Feeney said afterwards. "The boss likes a big man and a little man - and fair play to Kyle, he's done really well - so it was a surprise.

"It's brilliant for me to get out there - tonight is up there with the best nights. The other teams have got to win their games and we have got the points on the board - we are sitting where we want to be."

Feeney was as bright as anyone in a sprightly opening from the Irish. Steve Davis was again prominent in midfield, but there was no serious action for the Manchester City goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson until the 25th minute when Michael Duff threatened with a long-range header.

Two minutes later the stadium fell silent. Anders Svensson cut in from the Swedish right and crossed to the far post for Elmander to beat Aaron Hughes and dispatch the ball past Maik Taylor from Niclas Alexandersson's cushioned header.

But Northern Ireland were twice behind against Spain and within four minutes they were level. Sweden cleared a Chris Brunt corner, but Hughes returned it from inside his own half. When yellow shirts collided the ball fell to the deadly Healy 20 yards out with Erik Edman in attendance.

Edman, however, like Isaksson, could only watch as Healy's brilliant first-time volley on the swivel soared into the net. Sitting in the main stand, Healy's club manager at Leeds was surrounded by jubilant, baying fans. "Are you watching, Dennis Wise?" they chanted.

Lars Lagerback responded by putting on Kim Kallstrom and Sweden initially looked smoother at the start of the second half, Grant McCann clearing an a Zlatan Ibrahimovic header off the line in the 54th minute.

But that impression was abruptly ended when Damien Johnson dashed down the right and sent a low cross in towards Healy, lurking as usual. He had Olof Mellberg for company, but lured the defender into complacency before suddenly darting out a right-foot flick that beat Isaksson from around seven yards.

Windsor Park bounced, but there was half an hour to go and Sweden had to attack. Stephen Craigan hit his own post on 68 minutes and five later Taylor made a fine save to deny Elmander. But the Irish held on and Healy nearly scored a third in the 82nd minute.

No matter, this was a magic night already.

"It's great to be top of the group at the halfway stage," Sanchez said. "Thirteen points from six games is phenomenal - but we'll have to get as many if not more from the next six. There is a lot of football left in this group."

"I've run out of words to describe David Healy. We gave him two chances tonight and he scored both of them - that's world-class finishing. I always thought there were goals in this game tonight - we've now shown we have got great resilience and that has been the trademark of this campaign. But we won't get carried away."

The star of the night, Healy, was already looking forward to the rest of the campaign. "We let everyone down badly in the first game against Iceland, but we've improved leaps and bounds since then.

"Lawrie gave us the table when we met up last Thursday to show us what it would be like to be top of the group. As long as I can score goals and we can win games who knows what can happen come next year?"

Stephen Craigan added: "There have been four or five great nights at Windsor Park and you start to think, 'is there another'?"