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FOOTBALL

Rampant Argentina overwhelm Serbia

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Rodriguez scored the first of his two goals in the sixth minute.

SPECIAL REPORT

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany -- Argentina gave the most impressive performance of the World Cup finals so far when they overwhelmed a woeful Serbia/Montenegro side 6-0 with a superb display of flowing football in Gelsenkirchen.

Maxi Rodriguez scored twice in the first-half, either side of a goal from Esteban Cambiasso after a remarkable 24-pass movement.

The dispirited Serbs had Mateja Kezman sent off after the break before Hernan Crespo and subs Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi rubbed in the Argentines' superiority.

It took Argentina only six minutes to make the initial breakthrough, Rodriguez firing in a shot with the outside of his right foot after a run and return pass from Javier Saviola.

The highlight of the game - and probably the whole competition so far - came in the 31st minute with a patient 24-pass build-up which ended with a deft backheel from Crespo into the path of Cambiasso, who drove the ball home.

Cambiasso had been replaced in the starting line-up by Luis Gonzalez, who had to make way for him after a 16th minute injury.

Four minutes before the break Rodriguez scored his second, off a post, after Saviola dispossessed Mladen Krstajic near the right corner flag and worked his way into the area before trying a shot that was parried.

After 65 minutes Serbia's problems worsened when Mateja Kezman was sent off for a foul tackle on Javier Mascherano.

With 15 minutes to go Barcelona's 18-year-old forward Lionel Messi was brought on and his arrival sparked a furious finish from Argentina.

Within three minutes Messi's low cross from the left was driven in by Crespo and six minutes later Tevez, a 58th minute sub for Saviola, cut in from the left to score a fine solo effort.

In the 88th minute Messi crowned a delightful one-touch move between Crespo and Tevez to shoot in the sixth.

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