Group C is a strong one and so far the old guard have dominated, with Argentina and Holland winning their first games. A win against Serbia & Montenegro would not guarantee qualification, at least until later in the day, but would leave Argentina in a very strong position.
They start well with a goal after 6 minutes, Maxi Rodriguez the scorer. TV cameras pick out a celebrating Diego Maradona somewhere in the crowd. Following the goal Argentina continue to control the game but find it difficult to get near the goal. An injury to Luis Gonzales results in an early substitution, Esteban Cambiasso coming on as a replacement.
Argentine keep laying on the pressure, with Javier Saviola putting in a commanding performance, dictating the play and being involved in all of his team's best moves. After 31 minutes a well-worked series of passes results in Cambiasso putting in a sublime second – one of the best goals ever seen in the World Cup. It is difficult to see how Serbia & Montenegro could come back from this, having been poor in attack thus far.
Hernan Crespo is denied a third goal when he is wrongly called offside, and gets a yellow card for his trouble. Rodriguez makes up for it shortly afterwards when lax defending allows him to knock one in at close range. Serbia & Montenegro and crushed and the half time whistle comes as a relief to them.
There is no respite, however, when the teams return to the field. The Argentine pressure continues, though they are less penetrating as they take their foot off the pedal a little. Things get even worse for Serbia & Montenegro when Mateja Kezman is sent off for a bad tackle with half an hour still to go.
With the extra man Argentina are rampant, and notch up their goal difference when Hernan Crespo scores a fourth. In the dying minutes Carlos Tevez and then Lionel Messi make it six to complete the rout.
Serbia & Montenegro have been poor today, showing none of the spirit that they did against Holland, but the result is more a reflection on the class of the Argentinians, who have put in the best performance of the competition so far. Their future opponents should be worried.
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5 comments:
Maxi Rodriguez - excellent name.
Apparently 24 passes involving every outfield player (so better than Carlos Alberto) for Cambiasso's goal. Not that I saw it - was listening on the radio
You can see it here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/video_and_audio/help_guide/4304501.stm
that link doesn't work ... however i did watch it via the video link at the top of this page: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4853028.stm - only 10 odd passes for the second goal
Best goal ever. Even better than Carlos Alberto. Admittedly, not too many challenges, but it wins by virtue of the fact that they stepped up the tempo just as they were getting into the box.
However it was against Serbia, not against Italy in the World Cup final. Carlos wins.
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