Gelsenkirchen, June 16:

Giving warning to other title contenders, Argentina demolished Serbia and Montenegro 6-0 in a Group C match at Gelsenkirchen today.

Two goals from Maxi Rodrigues and one each from Esteben Cambiasso, Lionel Messi, Hernan Crespo and Carlos Tevez completed a very comprehensive win for the Argentineans. Argentina had only once scored six goals in a FIFA World Cup match before. It came in their own tournament in 1978 when they beat Peru 6-0 in Rosario in the final game of the second group stage.

On a cool evening with the roof of the AufSchalke arena closed, Argentina won two early corners but could not make anything out of it. Six minutes later, Argentina got into the act with Javier Saviola turning the ball in for Maxi Rodrigues, who coolly slotted the ball beyond Serbian and Montenegro custodian Dragolsav Jevric to the delight of Argentinean fans, which included legend Diego Maradona. Among the other celebrities at the AufSchalke were German legend Franz Beckenbauer and Colombian Carlos Valderrama.

Three minutes later Serbia came back with Predrag Djordjevic but he fired a snap shot wide of the far post. In the 12th minute with Argentina continuing their positive, Javier Saviola surged forward and won a free kick. Riquelme delivered the ball into the box but Juan Pablo Sorin could not control it and scuffed his shot wide of the far post. In the 17th minute, the Argentines were forced to make a substitution when debutant FC Porto star Luiz Gonsalez was injured and replaced by Esteben Cambiasso. Argentina struck again in the 31st minute in one of the best moves of the tournament through Cambiasso when he fired home on a neat back-heel pass from Hernan Crespo.

Seven minutes later, Argentina again had the ball into the net courtesy Crespo but the referee disallowed his goal. Argentina added third, five minutes from half time when Rodrigues latched on to a pass from Javier Saviola and fired home.

In the first half Argentina were too hot for Serbia and Montenegro as they missed their star central defender Nemanja Vidic. Serbia brought off defender Albert Nadj and replaced him with midfielder Ivan Ergic, as the second half got under way.

In the 47th minute, Savo Milosevic tried his hand from outside the area but his effort was comfortably saved by Roberto Abbonanzieri. Moments later Serbia & Montenegro made their second substitution replacing Ognjen Koroman, who will be suspended for the final Group C match, with striker Danijel Ljuboja.

In the 55th minute with just seven yards from goal, Milosevic could not connect from Ljuboja’s cross. With the match comfortably in the bag, Argentina replaced Saviola with Carlos Tevez. In the 64th minute down and out Serbia were dealt with another blow when their star forward Mateja Kezman was shown a straight red for a two-footed challenge on Javier Mascherano.

With Argentina almost toying with Serbia, Crespo joined the party by scoring in the 78th minute on a pass from substitute Lionel Messi, who was introduced a few minutes earlier. Substitute Tevez added his name to the score sheet with fine solo effort in the 84th minute while Messi completed the rout in the 86th minute.

Painuly is an Editorial Consultant with The Himalayan Times and is writing exclusively for THT from Germany.