Argentina sent a message out to all in the World Cup with a magnificent 6-0 victory over sorry Serbia & Montenegro.
A brace from Maxi Rodriguez, along with single strikes from Esteban Cambiasso, Hernan Crespo, Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi gave the South Americans a famous win in the Arena AufSchalke.
Serbia & Montenegro were never in the match from the start and the Balkan side finished with ten men after striker Mateja Kezman was sent off for ruthless tackle in the second half.
La Albicelestes boss Jose Pekerman made one change to his side that defeated Ivory Coast in their opening Group C contest, with Lucho Gonzalez replacing Esteban Cambiasso in midfield.
Teenage star Lionel Messi started on the substitutes' bench, with the Barcelona man having recovered from an injury to his left foot.
Serbia & Montenegro coach Ilija Petkovic also made one change to his side, with winger Ognjen Koroman coming in for right back Nenad Djordjevic.
Many have tipped the current Argentina side for World Cup glory in Germany and if the first half in Gelsenkirchen was anything to go by, we could well be seeing the South Americans in Berlin on July 9.
In fact, you would have to go a long way to see a better first-half display by any side in these finals, as Argentina simply outclassed a hapless-looking Serbo-Montenegrin side.
They started confidently and showed their ability in possession of the ball from the start, with Pekerman's side taking just six minutes to open the scoring.
Some flowing football involving Rodriguez and Juan Pablo Sorin saw the Argentina captain back-heel the ball to the impressive Javier Saviola.
The Sevilla striker made a darting run into the Serbia & Montenegro box, and with Rodriguez following the move he started with a run of his own, Saviola picked out the Atletico Madrid man before he struck home right-footed with aplomb.
Serbia & Montenegro tried to replay immediately, but Predrag Djordjevic failed to trouble Argentina goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri with a turn and volley off his chest from Dejan Stankovic's pass.
In fact, the Balkan side looked far less confident going forward throughout the opening 45 minutes, as they struggled to chase down their opponents when Argentina were in possession.
After Sorin mis-hit Juan Roman Riquelme's free kick in into the Serbo-Montenegrin box away for a goal kick, Gonzalez saw his day come to a brief end through injury, as Cambiasso replaced him just after the quarter hour mark.
The Internazionale man's introduction had little effect of Argentina's slick passing football, as good interplay between the substitute and Riquelme saw the Villaarreal man strike well over Jevric's crossbar from distance.
The South American's superiority became more evident and they underlined that fact with a sublime second goal made of exquisite passing football.
Again, Saviola was instrumental in the move, as he played a give and go with Riquelme before picking out Cambiasso on the edge of the Serbia & Montenegro area.
The Inter man found striker Hernan Crespo with a short pass and the Chelsea man returned the favour with a timely back-heel that Cambiasso to smash the ball into the roof of Jevric's goal.
Crespo himself remained a problem to contain for the Serbo-Montenegrin back-line and they were fortunate to get an offside call on the striker, even though the goalscorer looked onside in reaching Saviola's through ball.
Argentina, however, did not have to wait long before claiming a deserved third goal - much in thanks to some very poor Serbo-Montenegrin defending.
The ever-present Saviola did well to dispossess Mladen Krstajic near his own corner flag before eluding him and Milan Dudic in the box.
His low shot was well saved by a diving Jevric, but the rebound towards the onrushing Rodriguez, who happily scored his second goal off the post and the hapless Goran Gavrancic for a three-goal lead at the break.
With the match well under control, Argentina's urgency for more goals not as evident after the restart, with Savo Milosevic forcing a good save from Abbondanzieri in his 100th cap for Serbia & Montenegro.
The South Americans remained in control and Crespo kept searching for a goal of his own, with Jevric struggling to deal with his deflected shot moments later.
Serbia & Montenegro substitute Danijel Ljuboja was a bright light in a well-defeated side on Friday, as his cross to Kezman allowed the Atletico Madrid striker to lob the ball for Milosevic, but he failed to connect with a header on front of goal.
Argentina looked comfortable enough to take Saviola off and bring on Carlos Tevez before Serbia & Montenegro went a man down, as Kezman was foolishly red carded for a two-footed lunge on Javier Mascherano.
Crespo then had legitimate claims for a penalty when Igor Duljaj took him down in the Serbo-Montenegrin area, but Italian referee Roberto Rosetti waved away those claims.
It mattered in the end, as Argentina scored twice more before the end, with substitute Lionel Messi setting up Crespo for a simple close-range tap-in for 4-0.
Another substitute in Tevez then wrapped up the scoring with an emphatic run and finish, having eluded the challenge of Gavrancic before curling the ball past Jevric for 5-0.
A brace from Maxi Rodriguez, along with single strikes from Esteban Cambiasso, Hernan Crespo, Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi gave the South Americans a famous win in the Arena AufSchalke.
Serbia & Montenegro were never in the match from the start and the Balkan side finished with ten men after striker Mateja Kezman was sent off for ruthless tackle in the second half.
La Albicelestes boss Jose Pekerman made one change to his side that defeated Ivory Coast in their opening Group C contest, with Lucho Gonzalez replacing Esteban Cambiasso in midfield.
Teenage star Lionel Messi started on the substitutes' bench, with the Barcelona man having recovered from an injury to his left foot.
Serbia & Montenegro coach Ilija Petkovic also made one change to his side, with winger Ognjen Koroman coming in for right back Nenad Djordjevic.
Many have tipped the current Argentina side for World Cup glory in Germany and if the first half in Gelsenkirchen was anything to go by, we could well be seeing the South Americans in Berlin on July 9.
In fact, you would have to go a long way to see a better first-half display by any side in these finals, as Argentina simply outclassed a hapless-looking Serbo-Montenegrin side.
They started confidently and showed their ability in possession of the ball from the start, with Pekerman's side taking just six minutes to open the scoring.
Some flowing football involving Rodriguez and Juan Pablo Sorin saw the Argentina captain back-heel the ball to the impressive Javier Saviola.
The Sevilla striker made a darting run into the Serbia & Montenegro box, and with Rodriguez following the move he started with a run of his own, Saviola picked out the Atletico Madrid man before he struck home right-footed with aplomb.
Serbia & Montenegro tried to replay immediately, but Predrag Djordjevic failed to trouble Argentina goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri with a turn and volley off his chest from Dejan Stankovic's pass.
In fact, the Balkan side looked far less confident going forward throughout the opening 45 minutes, as they struggled to chase down their opponents when Argentina were in possession.
After Sorin mis-hit Juan Roman Riquelme's free kick in into the Serbo-Montenegrin box away for a goal kick, Gonzalez saw his day come to a brief end through injury, as Cambiasso replaced him just after the quarter hour mark.
The Internazionale man's introduction had little effect of Argentina's slick passing football, as good interplay between the substitute and Riquelme saw the Villaarreal man strike well over Jevric's crossbar from distance.
The South American's superiority became more evident and they underlined that fact with a sublime second goal made of exquisite passing football.
Again, Saviola was instrumental in the move, as he played a give and go with Riquelme before picking out Cambiasso on the edge of the Serbia & Montenegro area.
The Inter man found striker Hernan Crespo with a short pass and the Chelsea man returned the favour with a timely back-heel that Cambiasso to smash the ball into the roof of Jevric's goal.
Crespo himself remained a problem to contain for the Serbo-Montenegrin back-line and they were fortunate to get an offside call on the striker, even though the goalscorer looked onside in reaching Saviola's through ball.
Argentina, however, did not have to wait long before claiming a deserved third goal - much in thanks to some very poor Serbo-Montenegrin defending.
The ever-present Saviola did well to dispossess Mladen Krstajic near his own corner flag before eluding him and Milan Dudic in the box.
His low shot was well saved by a diving Jevric, but the rebound towards the onrushing Rodriguez, who happily scored his second goal off the post and the hapless Goran Gavrancic for a three-goal lead at the break.
With the match well under control, Argentina's urgency for more goals not as evident after the restart, with Savo Milosevic forcing a good save from Abbondanzieri in his 100th cap for Serbia & Montenegro.
The South Americans remained in control and Crespo kept searching for a goal of his own, with Jevric struggling to deal with his deflected shot moments later.
Serbia & Montenegro substitute Danijel Ljuboja was a bright light in a well-defeated side on Friday, as his cross to Kezman allowed the Atletico Madrid striker to lob the ball for Milosevic, but he failed to connect with a header on front of goal.
Argentina looked comfortable enough to take Saviola off and bring on Carlos Tevez before Serbia & Montenegro went a man down, as Kezman was foolishly red carded for a two-footed lunge on Javier Mascherano.
Crespo then had legitimate claims for a penalty when Igor Duljaj took him down in the Serbo-Montenegrin area, but Italian referee Roberto Rosetti waved away those claims.
It mattered in the end, as Argentina scored twice more before the end, with substitute Lionel Messi setting up Crespo for a simple close-range tap-in for 4-0.
Another substitute in Tevez then wrapped up the scoring with an emphatic run and finish, having eluded the challenge of Gavrancic before curling the ball past Jevric for 5-0.
