GELSENKIRCHEN, 17 June 2006 — Argentina dazzled to a 6-0 win over Serbia & Montenegro yesterday, virtually securing a place in the World Cup knockout stages with maximum points from two games in Group C.
Goals in the 6th and 41st minute by Maxi Rodriguez on his World Cup debut, a 31st-minute goal by substitute Esteban Cambiasso finishing a wonderfully fluid move, and late goals by Hernan Crespo, Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi brought victory. The South Americans at times ran rings round their opponents and justified their name as one of the tournament favorites with the best performance so far that set the World Cup alight. “What a great match this was,” Tevez said. “We produced some great combination play, and we really enjoyed ourselves. So many players were involved.”
The Serbs qualified for the tournament conceding just one goal. But after also losing their opener against the Netherlands, they were as good as out of the so-called group of death.
Argentina’s win equaled their best-ever World Cup result — against Peru in 1978 when they hosted and won the tournament.
“We’re really happy,” said Cambiasso, sent on as an early substitute after Lucho Gonzales took a knock.
“I’m delighted,” said Rodriguez. “We’re as good as qualified for the knock-out stage. We tried to control the game throughout — and you saw in the first minutes that it worked well. Now we want to beat Holland.” The Argentinian midfield and strike force controlled the game at will, with Juan Riquelme, Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola suddenly exploding to life with one-touch passing of the finest.
The opening goal saw Saviola run from the left at an all-too-lax Serbian defense, then slip the ball to an unmarked Rodriguez for the Atletico Madrid striker to slot comfortably past keeper Dragoslav Jevric.
As Argentina continued to press forward, their defense stayed solid against Serbian attacks that grew ever less frequent, with 32-year-old skipper Savo Milosevic making his 100th appearance for his country.
Argentina’s second goal in the 31st minute was the product of wonderful play between Saviola, Riquelme, Crespo and Cambiasso that featured a neat back heel final pass by Crespo for Cambiasso to slot home past the bewildered Serbian defense. Ten minutes later a further quicksilver move from the right produced Rodriguez’s second goal for the 3-0.
Serbian defender Mladen Krstajic clumsily let Saviola steal the ball, and the Sevilla striker’s fierce shot was only parried by Jevric, allowing the in-rushing Rodriguez to mop up.
Milosevic nearly restored some pride after the break, just failing to get his head to a cross from the left by Mateja Kezman as Serbia made a 55th-minute breakaway.
Ten minutes later the Serbian side were down to 10 men as Kezman became the second player of the tournament to see a direct red card, sent off by Italian referee Roberto Rosetti for a two-footed lunge at Javier Alejandro Mascherano.
By now Argentina were slowing the pace with the game already won, and with 15 minutes to go coach Jose Pekerman brought on Barcelona youngster Lionel Messi to huge cheers from the many Argentines in the crowd, including Diego Maradona.
Messi had been on the field barely three minutes when he ushered in Argentina’s 78th-minute fourth goal, providing a pinpoint cross for Crespo to slot home after a run down the left. The players seemed to celebrate the youngster even more than the scorer.
Argentina’s fifth came in the 84th minute when Tevez, a substitute for Saviola, outwitted the defense with a run down the left and coolly slipped the ball into the far corner.
Crespo produced a fine save by Jevric in the closing minutes as Argentina continued playing cat and mouse — but the 88th minute saw Messi slot home the sixth, hitting home a beautiful through ball from Tevez.
The match was the second of the World Cup to be played under cover after officials decided to close the AufSchalke Arena roof to prevent shadows on the pitch spoiling television pictures.
