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I want the highlights! Need video!
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ont/index.html
GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) -- Argentina doesn't just score goals, it crafts works of art.
Three first-half strikes, two by Maxi Rodriguez and another by subs ute Esteban Cambiasso, led Argentina to a 6-0 victory Friday over Serbia-Montenegro in Group C. Hernan Crespo made it 4-0 in the 78th, and youngsters Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi finished off the biggest rout in the tournament so far.
Two-time champion Argentina, which opened the World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast, will reach the round of 16 if the Netherlands wins or draws later Friday against the Ivorians.
"This was an incredible performance," Rodriguez said.
The loss eliminated the Serbs.
Argentine fans, starting to sense something special may be unfolding, were deafening in FC Schalke's closed-roof stadium, with chants of "Ole, Ole" and "AR-gen-tina, AR-gen-tina."
Another screaming serenade, with Diego Maradona swirling a blue and white jersey above his head and joining in, also rang out over and over: "We're going to leave as champions, just like in '86."
Maradona helped Argentina win that last le, and watching this rout, it's not difficult to start believing it could happen again.
Tevez, who is only 22 and a coming star with the 18-year-old Messi, praised the teamwork -- the deft passes and perfectly timed shots.
"When everyone does it together, it's like that," Tevez said.
Argentina's first two goals were masterpieces.
With former star Diego Maradona cheering in the stands, Argentina got a perfect start with Rodriguez scoring in the sixth minute. He finished off his shot at the end of perfect passes down the left side from captain Juan Pablo Sorin and Javier Saviola.
Argentina made it 2-0 in the 31st, a classic goal by Cambiasso, who entered in the 17th minute for injured Luis Gonzalez. Argentina held possession with a string of two dozen passes. At the finish, Saviola found Cambiasso, who passed to Hernan Crespo, who back-heeled the ball for Cambiasso's left-footed finish.
"We're really working well as a group," Esteban Cambiasso said. "This team is solid and we are very confident."
Rodriquez's second involved more grit than guile.
Saviola stole the ball in the right corner, then took a shot breaking for the net. Serb keeper Dragoslav Jevric made a sprawling save. The ball rebounded off the goalpost to his right, with Rodriguez slipping the shot home in the 41st.
To celebrate, he did a flying somersault.
With Serbia down to 10 men after Mateja Kezman was sent off in the 65th for a harsh tackle on Javier Mascherano, Crespo broke through in the 78th off a pass from Messi. It was the 18-year-old Messi's first action of the tournament and he punctuated it with the final goal.
Tevez scored in the 84th, curling the ball into a wide open net as the Serb defense remained leaky. Messi took advantage too, scoring four minutes later.
On a clear day, the game was played under a closed roof at FC Schalke's stadium -- a move to give TV a shadow-free field.
I want the highlights! Need video!
they fall apart, just like their country
ouch...that was harsh
this article is wrong... the Serbs are not out yet...
hope that changes in couple of hours though.
so who is going to use their fist to score a goal this time? :pAnother screaming serenade, with Diego Maradona swirling a blue and white jersey above his head and joining in, also rang out over and over: "We're going to leave as champions, just like in '86
http://football.guardian.co.uk/world...799515,00.html
Awesome Argentina dance to top of Group C
Paul Doyle
Friday June 16, 2006
The general consensus after this tournament's first series of matches was that only Argentina, Spain and the Czech Republic had shown the fizz, finesse and fearsome finishing of potential world champions. But on the evidence of Argentina's awesome destruction of Serbia and Montenegro today, the Spaniards and Czechs will have to up their game considerably if they're to thwart the boys from Buenos Aires. Jose Pekerman's troops began at a cracking pace and were three up at half-time before adding another three after the break - two of the goals, in particular, being works of rare beauty.
Serbia and Montenegro are certainly no mugs - they had conceded only one goal in 10 qualifying matches - but they were dominated from the outset, Argentina forcing two corners in the first minute. Seven minutes later, Maxi Rodriguez knocked the ball wide to Juan Pablo Sorin, who helped it on to Javier Saviola with a wonderful flick. The little striker skipped past his marker to lay the ball into the path of the in-rushing Rodriguez, who finished what he'd started by firing first-time past goalkeeper Dragoslav Jevric.
The second goal, after 32 minutes, was even better, concluding a majestic 24-pass move that went the whole length of the pitch. The climax came when Juan Roman Riquelme exchanged a snappy one-two with Saviola, who clipped it to Esteban Cambiasso at the edge of the box. The Internazionale man took one touch to find Hernan Crespo, who returned the ball to him with a smart back-heel and Cambiasso blasted it into the roof of the net. If you didn't see it, don't worry: it will be shown on TV over and over again for decades to come.
The fact that Cambiasso had only come on as a subs ute 14 minutes earlier in place of the injured Luis Gonzalez proved that in addition to class, speed and cohesion, the Albiceleste have strength in depth. When Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez came on in the second half, the point was underlined emphatically.
The third goal was more straight-forward than the previous two but illustrated yet another quality of this exhilirating young Argentinina team: their hunger. Two minutes before half-time, 5ft 5' Saviola chased a rare punt from defence and outmuscled 6ft 4' Mladen Krstajic before twisting past Milan Dudic and into the box. His low shot was blocked by Jevric, but as ever an Argentinian was first to the rebound, Rodriguez pouncing to slam it home.
Argentina had the match won and everyone knew it, from the elated Diego Maradona dancing in the stands to the outclassed Serbian players battling gamely throughout the second half in a bid to preserve their pride. Savo Milosevic even had a chance to grab a goal for Ilija Petkovic's charges, but he headed weakly wide from six yards after excellent work on the right by Danijel Ljuboja.
Though they played with slightly less adventure in the second period, Argentina continued to zing the ball around via sublime one-touch football or extravagant dribbles and flicks. Any straw of hope the Serbians were clutching was ripped from their grasp in the 65th minute, when Mateja Kezman was harshly sent off for a two-footed tackle on Javier Mascherano, even though he got the ball.
When Messi joined the fray moments after that the Serbians must have feared a massacre and, sure enough, the precocious Barcelona forward soon created a fourth goal, hurtling down the left to deliver a low cross to the back post, where Crespo slid it into the net.
Six minutes from time, it was the turn of another subs ute, Tevez, to bring his tricks to the party. Collecting a dainty chip from Mascherano, the 22-year-old nutmegged one defender then barged past another before curling it deftly past the keeper's outstretched arm.
Crespo could have made it six two minutes later but Jevric made a solid block. That was only delaying the inevitable, however, as Argentina were playing at such a rarefied height their opponents simply couldn't live with them. Their sixth goal came in the 88th minute and was almost as breathtaking as the second. After yet more slick interplay, Crespo and Tevez performed a one-two before the latter released Messi, who stormed into the box and rifled it underneath the keeper. That concluded by far the best team display of the tournament. Possibly of any tournament.
You'd figure that the Serbs would have at least showed up. Argentina looks good right now. I would love to see an Argentina-Brazil matchup...the whole hemisphere would go nuts.
I knew I should not have taken Serbia & Montenegro over Argentina in the predictions as an upset and same holds for USA over Italy . I almost changed them right before the start of play but didn't.
If I had taken Argentina and Italy to advance I would hit all right in the first round. And I have to admit I know nothing of any of the teams leading up to the world cup, just past history and who is suppose to be good. i don't follow soccer.
the 6-0 is deceiving.
Argentina was leading by 3 when Serbs gave up completely and were down to 10 players on the field.
In my book this is a solid win but not more. Sebs gave the 2nd half away. Even the US would have scored 3 goals on the Serbs at that point.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/world...788276,00.html
Guardian is a British newspaper, this comes from their blogger.29 mins - GOAL! Argentina 2 - 0 Serbia and Montenegro Sweet mother of Jesus, how the am I supposed to describe that? The goal of the tournament so far by Cambiasso, and quite possibly the greatest goal that's ever been scored.
31 mins: Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Cambiano. Crespo. Cambiasso ... goal!
Starting deep inside their own half, with 24 short, high speed passes, the blurry shapes that are assorted Argentina players carve open Serbia and Montengro. Sorin does brilliantly to pick out Cambiasso, who dinkls the ball to Crespo on the edge of the box and continues his run. With his first touch, Crespo back-heels the ball across the edge of the penalty area and into the path of Cambiasso, who pulls the trigger and lashes it home. So mesmerised were the S&M players, they were left standing like statues. Make it your business to see that goal tonight - a mere hack like me doesn't have the literary skills to do it justice. In the stands, Diego Maradona is beside himself with excitement - they'll be setting that one to music for years to come. It'll certainly give England's defenders plenty to think about while they're hoofing long balls up to Peter Crouch. An astonishing goal ...
nah, did u see Spain's incredible goal??? I think it was the 2nd or 3rd. that was the goal of the tournament so far
are you kidding me?? Spain's goal, although great was nowhere near as good as Argentina's!
hehe that coming from an argentine
I am a neutral opinion. but I'll try to look at the goals again.
I see so because I'm Argentinian, I can't like the goal better lest I seem a homer huh? screw you! IMO the goal was better and it has nothing to do with me being Argentinian
The Argentines are bloody weak primadonnas who will be run off the pitch quicker than they were off the Falklands.
Eng-a-land.
The Argentines are bloody weak primadonnas who will be run off the pitch quicker than they were off the Falklands.
Eng-a-land.that coming from a fan who's team almost get beat by Trinidad and Tobago
See you at the Quarterfinals you english prickThe Argentines are bloody weak primadonnas who will be run off the pitch quicker than they were off the Falklands.
Eng-a-land.
Argentines must like seeing English pricks, what say you bloke?
I've got a feeling this dude is mouse
Ugh... Argentine or not, it's not even close, dude... your statement is laughable.
Join Date: 06-16-2006
Yeah, I'd say that's a safe bet.
thanks for another nonbiased opinion
you want an unbiased opinion, read any European newspaper tonight, and see if they don't hail today's goal as the best of the tournament so farthanks for another nonbiased opinion
ok will do
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