Was This The Greatest Team Goal In History?

Sun Herald

Sunday June 18, 2006

By Chris Davies Stuttgart and John Ley Gelsenkirchen

AS A statement of intent by Argentina, this performance was as convincing as it could possibly be. The victory also included what may prove to be the greatest team goal in World Cup history.

At the very least, substitute Esteban Cambiasso's goal in the 31st minute will be remembered as the tournament's most sublime move - a goal up there with Diego Maradona's wonderful second against England 20 years ago.

Fittingly, the legend himself was there to witness the antics of the latest Argentine team.

Wearing a team shirt, Maradona could not contain his excitement as the South Americans teased with tantalising technique and magnificent movement.

They now face the Netherlands, who beat Ivory Coast 2-1 yesterday, to see who finishes on top of Group C. It's a enticing prospect.

With their whitewash win against Serbia and Montenegro, though, Argentina have put down their marker. It was a warning to the rest of the world.

Man of the match Juan Riquelme said: "We are now keeping a rather high level from the first match.

"I just hope we can go on and improving. We are very happy with the way we played but we want to improve further. But I think everybody who watched enjoyed this."

Such was Argentina's dominance that they gave a World Cup debut to Lionel Messi, Barcelona's 18-year-old protege who was allowed a final 15 minutes and wasted little time in announcing his arrival, scoring his country's fourth goal within three minutes and completing the rout with the sixth goal.

But one of the great Wold Cup goals came in the 31st minute when Cambiasso completed a flowing five-touch move that began from inside the Argentina half.

It was ballet on grass; Javier Saviola began the move, the ball went up to Cambiasso, out to Hernan Crespo and a back heel from the Chelsea striker set up the Inter Milan midfielder for a goal that will be etched in his nation's history.

The beleaguered Serbia coach, Ilija Petkovic, took the blame. "This is the worst result in the history of our country's football but I won't condemn my players publicly," he said.

"I have seen mistakes and errors but I am going to accept full responsibility for what happened. It wasn't the players' fault, it was mine."

Although the Dutch weren't as impressive in beating the Ivory Coast, they did show their deadly intent.

An example was in the 23rd minute when Kolo Toure was unwise to challenge his Arsenal teammate Robin van Persie so carelessly in a central position just outside the penalty area.

The Ivory Coast defender would know such a distance and angle are ideal for the Holland winger, whose left foot curled the resulting free kick around the Ivorian wall and past the diving Jean-Jacques Tizie. Four minutes later, Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy was standing in an offside position - in itself no offence - but by the time Arjen Robben passed to him van Nistelrooy had moved back with Bakary Kone just playing him onside.

Van Nistelrooy scored with the confidence of a master marksman.

Ivory Coast heads did not drop, and Didier Zakora rattled Edwin van der Sar's crossbar with an angled shot from 22 metres.

Seven minutes before half-time the Ivory Coast's Kone scooted past John Heitinga and Joris Mathijsen with embarrassing ease and beat Van der Sar with a fine rising shot from five metres.

© 2006 Sun Herald

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