Tevez strikes twice,Argentina cruise

They were the stronger team in the early minutes,adamantly trying to score a quick goal to set Argentina on their heels. In the eighth minute,defender Carlos Salcido rocketed a shot from 40 yards that rasped off the crossbar. In the 26th minute,everything changed.

Lionel Messi waterbugged through the middle on a counterattack,passing ahead to Tévez in the penalty area. Óscar Pérez,the Mexican goalkeeper,rushed off his line and dived for the ball but could not smother it. The ball popped up to Messi,and he chipped it blithely to Tévez,whose header into an empty net from four yards put Argentina ahead,1-0.

Tévez was indisputably beyond the final Mexican defenders when the ball was played to him,but the referees assistant did not raise his flag. Mexico argued vehemently for an offside call. Roberto Rosetti,the Italian referee,conferred with his assistant,Stefano Ayroldi,but did not nullify the goal.

Seven minutes later,defender Ricardo Osorio made a lazy pass,or somehow mistook Argentinas Gonzalo Higuaín for a teammate out of the corner of his eye. In either case,Higuaín intercepted the ball,snaked past Pérez and ruthlessly made Osorio pay,scoring his fourth goal of the World Cup to put Argentina ahead,2-0.

Scuffle at half-time

Now Mexico were defeated. At halftime,forward Giovani dos Santos attempted to renew debate about the first goal,but Rosetti waved him away. A scuffle involving players from both teams then flared behind Mexicos bench. Order was quickly restored,but Mexicos frustration was evident.

Tévez scored again on a blast from 25 yards in the 52nd minute,putting Argentina ahead,3-0. Mexico finally got a goal,from Javier Hernández in the 71st minute,but the game had long been decided.