Previous Encounters:
Argentina and Serbia-Montengro have never met before in international competition before
the Germany 2006 World Cup finals, although the South Americans did beat the former
Yugoslavia on penalaties, in Florence (0:0aet), at the quarter-final stage of Italy 1990.
The Match:
It only took a little over five minutes for Javier Saviola to slip a pass in from the
left, for Maxi Rodríguez to put Argentina in front; against Serbia & Montenegro, in
Gelsenkirchen.
Substitute Esteban Cambiasso doubled Argentina's lead just after the
half-hour, when Hernán Crespo's back-heel to him was the culmination of twenty four
passes by Argentina.
Five minutes before half-time, Saviola won the ball off a defender,
near the right corner flag, and ran into the area. As his shot was palmed away by
Dragoslav Jevric, Maxi Rodríguez was on hand at the far post to slam home his second goal
of the game; in off the woodwork.
Half-time: (3:0).
Serbia & Montenegro tried to gain some initiative by bringing on
Danijel Ljuboja for Ognjen Koroman, who will miss the next game for picking up two yellow
cards, just after half-time.
Riquelme and Sorin continued to Tango, as Argentina totally dominated
the game.
Mateja Kezman was getting more and frustrated as the game went on and
his two-footed challenge earned him a red card in the 65th minute.
Diego Maradona led the cheering when Lionel Messi finally made his
World Cup appearance, fifteen minutes before the end.
With twelve minutes to go, Messi ran the ball into the area, down the
left side, and crossed low for Hernán Crespo to score Argentina's fourth goal; at the far
post.
Carlos Tevez continued the Argentina rout when he beat two defenders
on the left, to calmly roll the ball past Jevric; six minutes from time.
Messi added his name to the scoresheet, as Argentina continued to
press forward with short, quick passing moves forward.
Argentina: (Captain Juan Pablo
Sorin)
1 Roberto Abbondanzieri; 2 Roberto Ayala, 3 Juan Pablo Sorin,
6 Gabriel Heinze, 21 Nicolas Burdisso; 8 Javier Mascherano, 10 Juan
Riquelme, 18 Maxi Rodríguez, 22 Lucho Gonzalez; 7 Javier Saviola,
9 Hernán Crespo.
Serbia & Montenegro: (Captain
Savo Milosevic)
1 Dragoslav Jevric; 6 Goran Gavrancic, 15 Milan Dudic, 20 Mladen Krstajic; 4 Igor Duljaj,
7 Ognjen Koroman, 10 Dejan Stankovic, 11 Predrag Djordjevic, 17 Albert Nadj; 8 Mateja
Kezman, 9 Savo Milosevic.
Substitutions:
16 Mins (Argentina) - 5 Esteban Cambiasso on for 22 Lucho Gonzalez
46 Mins (Serbia & Montenegro) - 2 Ivan Ergic on for 17 Albert Nadj
49 Mins (Serbia & Montenegro) - 21 Danijel Ljuboja on for 7 Ognjen Koroman
58 Mins (Argentina) - 11 Carlos Tevez on for 7 Javier Saviola
70 Mins (Serbia & Montenegro) - 18 Zvonimir Vukic on for 9 Savo Milosevic
75 Mins (Argentina) - 19 Lionel Messi on for 18 Maxi Rodríguez
4 Yellow
Cards:
7 Mins - Ognjen Koroman (Serbia & Montenegro)
27 Mins - Albert Nadj (Serbia & Montenegro)
37 Mins - Hernán Crespo (Argentina)
43 Mins - Mladen Krstajic (Serbia & Montenegro)
1 Red Card:
65 Mins - Mateja Kezman (Serbia & Montenegro)
