STUTTGART, Germany, June 16 (UPI) -- Robin Van Persie and Ruud Van Nistelrooij scored goals Friday, lifting the Netherlands to a 2-1 World Cup victory over Ivory Coast.
The victory allowed both the Netherlands and Argentina, a 6-0 winner over Serbia and Montenegro earlier Friday, into the second round of the 2006 World Cup.
The Netherlands, even though it dominated possession time, managed just three shots in the first half but scored on its first two.
Van Persie took a free kick after being fouled and blasted a 20-yard shot high into the net for the 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute.
The Dutch made it 2-0 in the 27th when Van Nistelrooij took a reverse pass from Arjen Robben that left him one-on-one with Ivory Coast goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie. Van Nistelrooij scored the goal with a shot high and to the right.
Ivory Coast got a goal from Bakary Kone in the 38th minute and he outraced several defenders and fired a hard shot back to the left for a score.
Ivory Coast kept pressure on Netherlands goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar with 16 shots, including nine on goal.
Argentina takes a huge goal-differential advantage into the group finale against the Netherlands Wednesday in Frankfurt, Germany, which will decide which team wins Group C. Ivory Coast and Serbia wrap up their play with a game Wednesday in Munich.
