The best day so far – by a mile By MSN’s Matt Ball
Last updated June 17 2006
Day eight. Three matches: wins for Argentina and Holland. Mexico and Angola draw.
Nine goals in two games settle group C
That is more like it. Forget the low-quality fayre served up by Germany on Wednesday and England on Thursday, Argentina and Holland made Friday the day of the week. The South Americans trounced Serbia & Montenegro 6-0 and Holland got past tough opponents Ivory Coast 2-1.
Two matches, nine goals. Here is how the day’s action unfolded (written in that slightly over-exuberant style of some live text services):
Argentina v Serbia & Montenegro
6 minutes: Crash! After good work by Saviola down the left, Maxi Rodriguez pokes the ball home. Argentina 1-0 Serbia & Montenegro.
31 minutes: Bang! An amazing move of 24 passes ends with Crespo back-heeling the ball to Cambiasso who whacks it in. Argentina 2-0 Serbia & Montenegro.
41 minutes: Wallop! Saviola steals the ball from a defender, his shot is parried by the keeper, Maxi Rodriguez follows up, hitting a shot that rebounds off the post and a defender before going over the line. Half time: Argentina 3-0 Serbia & Montenegro. And it could have been more.
78 minutes: Snap! A quick free-kick puts substitute Messi free down the left. He crosses and Crespo (or a defender if you look closely at the action replay) sticks it in at the far post. Argentina 4-0 Serbia & Montenegro.
83 minutes: Crackle! Substitute Teves dribbles in from the left wing past two defenders and rolls the ball past the hapless keeper. Argentina 5-0 Serbia & Montenegro
88 minutes: Pop! Messi finishes off a classy move. Argentina 6-0 Serbia & Montenegro
Agrentina’s passing and movement was a joy to watch.
Holland v Ivory Coast
22 minutes: Biff! Van Persie is fouled on the edge of the box. He picks himself up and cracks the free-kick into the top corner. Holland 1-0 Ivory Coast.
26 minutes: Bash! Robben cuts inside from the left wing and slips the ball through to van Nistelrooy who puts it past the keeper. Holland 2-0 Ivory Coast.
38 minutes: Bosh! Bakary Kone goes past two defenders and whacks a corker into the top corner. Holland 2-1 Ivory Coast.
Holland hold on for a win against a team that could have easily qualified if only it had been in another group.
In a strange role reversal some of the Durch players resorted to the type of antics we have come to expect from Argentina – diving and performing other theatrics. By contrast the Argentineans had been well behaved in their game, well apart from Ayala's sneaky whack on Kezman's leg.
Argentina and Holland go through with a game to spare; they will battle it out for top spot next week – should be tasty.
Mexico 0-0 Angola
Well done to Angola. The team was a lot more ambitious than it had been against Portugal and was even able to hold on with ten men after Macanga was sent off on 79 minutes.
Mexico showed us again why they should not be ranked fourth in the world by Fifa. | 
