ARGENTINA 6-0 SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO

16 June 2006

Argentina gave a fearsome show of attacking strength as they swept aside Group C rivals Serbia and Montenegro 6-0 in Gelsenkirchen on Friday, 16 June 2006.

Jose Pekerman's team equalled their record FIFA World Cup™ win against Peru from 1978 against opponents they had, coincidentally, dismantled by the same score at the 2004 Olympic Football Tournament. More importantly, the victory took them a big step closer to the second round, while leaving Serbia and Montenegro’s hopes hanging by a thread.

The flow of goals began in the sixth minute with Maxi Rodriguez and after Esteban Cambiasso had doubled the lead in the 31st minute, Rodriguez struck again to make it 3-0 ten minutes later. There was no respite for Serbia and Montenegro after the break as, following the dismissal of Mateja Kezman, Hernan Crespo hit Argentina's fourth in the 78th minute. Substitutes Carlos Tevez (84') and Lionel Messi (88') completed the scoring in the final ten minutes.

The match:
2' Argentina showed their intent from the off, putting the Serbia and Montenegro defence under early pressure with a series of corners.

6' Serbia and Montenegro's defence went 649 minutes without conceding in qualifying but it took Argentina just six minutes to find the net here, following some fine interplay between Rodriguez, Juan Pablo Sorin and Javier Saviola. Rodriguez applied the final touch as he collected a Saviola pass and slipped the ball past Dragoslav Jevric. (1-0)

10' Predrag Djordjevic had the first sight of the Argentine goal at the other end but his volleyed attempted lacked power and direction.

17' Luis Gonzalez left the field with an apparent injury to the adductor muscle in his left leg, Cambiasso coming on in his place.

23' A spell of Serbia and Montenegro possession proved short-lived and Argentina soon had the Balkan team under pressure again, Juan Roman Riquelme testing their backline with a couple of set-pieces.

28' Riquelme worked his way into a shooting position but blazed the ball over the crossbar.

31' A glorious move produced Argentina's second goal. The ball was swept crossfield from one navy shirt to another before arriving at the feet of Cambiasso. He fed Crespo with his back to goal in the box, and was on hand to meet the striker's back-heeled return and shoot high into the net. (2-0)

35' Crespo raced onto Saviola's through-ball and finished past Jevric but the linesman's flag was already raised for offside.

41'
The third goal arrived thanks to the persistence of Saviola. After stealing the ball from Mladen Krstajic by the corner flag, he glided past another white shirt before launching a low shot at goal. Jevric got a hand to the ball, pushing it towards the far post where Rodriguez turned it into the net, via a post. (3-0)

More of the same:
46' Roberto Abbondanzieri was finally called into action, to turn behind a low drive from Savo Milosevic.

51' Crespo, seeking a goal of his own, powered in a shot on goal but straight at Jevric. Sorin then engineered another opportunity in the box with an eye-catching flick of his heel but Saviola was flagged offside.

55' A clear scoring chance went begging for Serbia and Montenegro, following some fine work by substitute Danijel Ljuboja. After surging down the right, he sidestepped a defender and launched a cross to the far post to Kezman. The No.8 volleyed the ball back across goal but, with a free header, Milosevic – on his 100th international appearance - failed to even make contact with the ball.

65' The Serbo-Montenegrins' day went from bad to worse with Kezman dismissed for a two-footed challenge on Javier Mascherano.

74' Riquelme nearly conjured a goal for Crespo with a gorgeous flick but the No.9 went down under pressure from an opponent and the opportunity was gone.

78' Just three minutes after taking the field for his first FIFA World Cup appearance, Messi became the architect of Argentina's fourth goal. Breaking into the left-hand side of the penalty box, he looked up and sent a low cross to the far post where Crespo did the rest. (4-0)

84' Tevez, another substititute, was one of six Argentina players who played in the victory over Serbia and Montenegro in Patras two years ago. He scored twice then and found the net here with a fine effort. After leaving two defenders for dead he placed the ball low past Jevric for another memorable Argentina goal. (5-0)

88' Now Tevez turned provider, picking out Messi's surge into the box and the teenager did the rest with a confident finish inside the near post. (6-0)

In conclusion:
If anyone doubted Argentina's credentials, they can doubt no more. As for Serbia and Montenegro, this ‘nightmare group’ has become just that.