Argies smash Serbia for six
Argies smash Serbia for six
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Friday, 16, Jun 2006 08:01
Argentina have proven they are very much in the reckoning for the 18th World Cup with a 6-0 hammering of Serbia and Montenegro in Gelsenkirchen.
Two goals from Maxi Rodriguez plus strikes by Hernan Crespo, Esteban Cambiasso, Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi won the game but the scoreline could have been even more emphatic.
Scintillating attacking play combined with slick passing movements across the park proved too hot to handle for a Serbian side famed in qualifying for their impenetrable defensive backline.
Inspired by two-goal Rodriguez, the mercurial Javier Saviola and magical playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme, Argentina cut through their opponents with an elegant ease.
Their first goal, scored in the sixth minute, heralded the ominous signs of what was to come. A rapid interchange of passes left the Serbian defence flat-footed, Juan Pablo Sorin played a through ball to Saviola, and his perfect flick to Rodriguez was sweetly struck past Dragolsav Jevric in goal.
But this stunning first goal was then outdone on the half-hour mark by arguably one of the greatest goals ever seen in the World Cup. A stirring passage of possession saw no less than 24 passes bedazzle Serbia's players before a classy Crespo back-heel fell to Cambiasso who lashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Serbia, for all their tireless efforts, could do nothing to stop the Argentina onslaught and their afternoon got worse before half-time as Saviola picked the pocket of Mladen Krstajic near the right corner flag, cut inside and shot at Jevric who parried the ball straight to the feet of an accepting Rodriguez.
The second period saw Serbia valiantly battle to stay in the match and talisman Dejan Stankovic and forward Savo Milosevic, once ridiculed at Aston Villa, took the fight to Argentina.
However, their efforts were to be undone just after the hour when former Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman was shown a straight red card for a two-footed lunge on Javier Mascherano.
The decision looked harsh but with just ten men Serbia collapsed under the ensuing pressure as Tevez, who had replaced Saviola moments before, and teenage sensation Messi, who came on for Rodriguez, injected yet more pace and creativity into their side.
With practically his first touch in the 74th minute, Barcelona's Messi delivered a precise cross that took out the keeper and allowed Crespo to side foot into an empty net for 4-0.
Moments later it was five as Tevez, making his World Cup bow, scored a memorable individual effort that even the on-looking Diego Maradona would have been proud of.
Not to be outdone on his World Cup debut, Messi completed the rout with an 87th minute goal after skipping past the keeper and finishing in style.
The referee blew full-time slightly prematurely to spare Serbia further humiliation but, on this form, with their progression from group C assured, the message is clear: Argentina will take some stopping.