Rooney inspires England win

The Manchester United star took his tally to five in the last three internationals with two clinical second-half finishes for Fabio Capello's side. Steven Gerrard opened the scoring, but Pavel Sitko deservedly equalised for the home side after 26 minutes.

But Rooney grabbed a brace after the break to ensure England have won their opening four games in a World Cup qualifying campaign for the first time, surpassing the trio of victories ahead of the 1958, 1986 and 1998 tournaments.

Capello will be able to rest easily for the next six months before England resume their competitive programme in April, knowing his side are already firmly on course for the 2010 finals in South Africa.

Belarus looked comfortable on the ball from the first whistle, with Vitaly Kutuzov and Sitko causing problems, and gave a searching examination to ring-rusty looking left-back Wayne Bridge who was deputising for the injured Ashley Cole.

But after 11 minutes Gerrard's stunning strike from long range temporarily silenced the passionate Belarus crowd. Rooney battled away in typical fashion in the middle of the park to win the ball before laying it off for Gerrard and his fizzing first-time effort from 30 yards out curled past the dive of Alexander Kulchy.

Belarus showed a positive response to going behind and after putting together a move of around 20 passes, Igor Stasevich checked back inside after Bridge had dived in. He then had ample time to measure and float an inviting cross into the path of Sitko who gave David James no chance with a close-range header.

But England needed only five minutes of the second half to regain the advantage through Rooney. Emile Heskey was the creator with a powerful run into the box which took him past the challenge of Sergei Omelyanchuk before he turned the ball across the box - and Rooney did the rest with a clinical close-range finish.

And with 15 minutes remaining, Rooney killed off the game as a contest with his second. Bridge played the ball into Gerrard after a dummy from Rooney who was then well positioned to receive the ball from the midfielder before clipping it past Kulchy.

Gerrard should have made it 4-1 in the closing stages but he hit the post with the goal at his mercy after rounding Kulchy.