Friday, June 16, 2006


Two tickets for round two still remain in group C, Argentina can claim one of them in this match. Of course, that would also mean the exit of Serbia and Montenegro.
I will be pulling for Serbia, simply because I want two possible tickets to remain for the Dutch. In addition, if Serbia can beat Argentina, in theory, the Dutch can beat Argentina, considering the Dutch win over Serbia. It is like if Annie is smarter then Hank and Hank is smarter then Otto, then Annie is smarter then Otto.
Argentina starts fast. They demand possession of the ball in the early minutes and pressure the goal as if the first minute was the last.
"Argentina on full throttle," says the commentator.
Six minutes in the game, Argentina brakes down the defense. A sharp pass, invisible for the Serbian defense, to a running free man in the box. The striker from Argentina accepts the ball with a quick cutback. With this first touch he takes full control over the ball. Like a magician, he aims the ball through a forest of defenders. The keeper of Serbia and Montenegro is on the wrong foot, he anticipate a cross not a shot though traffic.


1-0

Argentina is serious.
Serbia and Montenegro profit from the space Argentina gives them the first minutes after the goal. They set up some attacks but built up no serious threat.
Half an hour in the second half Argentina seems to say, enough is enough. They pass the ball around, and through, the penalty box like the bumpers of a pinball machine. Serbia defense struggles to follow the ball. A striker of Argentina taps the ball with his back heel, to line the ball up for his teammate. He fires.
2-0
Argentina throws Serbia into shock.
Ten minutes later, Argentina slices an all ready broken Serbian defense apart. The ball is passed forward fast, with great skill, and the last stop is the net of Serbia.

3-0

"This is turning into a nightmare for Serbia and Montenegro," says the commentator. “Let the whistle blow for halftime, they are thoroughly outclassed," he says calling for mercy on Serbia
Maybe the gods heart him, the first shot on target in the second half, is for Serbia. But it is too easy for the keeper of Argentina.
"It is almost embarrassing now," says the commentator five minutes into the second half.
Argentina takes their technique again to the front door of Serbia.
"A cheeky flick with the back of his foot," calls the commentator while a striker of Argentina lines up the ball for a teammate, only he was offside.
In the 54th minute Serbia shows that it certainly can play soccer. A high cross in front of the box is only inches to high for a striker of Serbia to head the ball in a goal, only three feet away.
Argentina can play football, or soccer, too. They play it as soccer should be played.
Kezman of Serbia takes a red card in the 66 minute, for a rough play.
They have not much other tactics left.
"Argentina is toying with them now," says the commentator.
Serbia regains a strain of confidence in the 76th minute as they release a shot on the goal of Argentina.
"Rips to the near post," says the commentator about the ball ending in the side, and on top of the goal.
Argentina is hardly bothered and decides to give youth a chance. They replace their double goal scorer for a young kid called Messi.
"They call him the next Maradonna," says the commentator.
He delivers on a silver plate, minutes later he precisely crosses the ball, though the legs of a defender, to his running team mate, for him to tap it in the net.
"The kid delivers, he put the ball right across the face of the goal," calls the commentator the assist of the Messi.

4-0

Serbia crumbles, falls apart. Tevez in the 84 minute passes two defenders, controlling the ball in high speed. His shot baffled goalkeeper.
5-0
Before the end whistle, another world cup dream is born. The kid from Argentina delivers on his promise, he scores.
6-0

"The referee will blow his whistle when the clock hit 90 minutes if he has any mercy, says the commentator.
That the ref did. A word of advice, if you have any friends in Serbia. .

Do not call them tonight.