By Rex Gowar

GELSENKIRCHEN, June 16 (Reuters) - Argentina produced the performance so far of the World Cup to soar towards the second round in scintillating style with a 6-0 battering of Serbia & Montenegro on Friday in Group C.

Winger Maxi Rodriguez scored twice, Esteban Cambiasso and Hernan Crespo rounded off two other brilliant goals before substitutes Carlos Tevez and wonderkid Lionel Messi completed the demolition with super individual finishes.

Even pre-tournament favourites and holders Brazil will be wary of their fellow South Americans after this perfect exhibition of football against Serbia, a strong team who were made to look second raters even before being reduced to 10 men.

Only a freakish run of results from the group's remaining matches, also involving the Netherlands and the Ivory Coast, can deny Argentina a spot in the next round with a goal difference of plus seven with a game against the Dutch to play.

TO BE REMEMBERED

"When the team pulls together like that you get results," Tevez told reporters with classic understatement. "It was really nice to see the combination play. It is an honour to play with so many great players."

Serbia & Montenegro coach Ilija Petkovic could only watch on in awe as Argentina established themselves as new favourites for a third World Cup title.

"Our opponents were better in every part of the game and they deserve a victory," he told reporters. "I can only say congratulations. New generations will speak about this result."

Argentina went ahead with their first chance of the match after six minutes when Rodriguez fired home from the left after Javier Saviola, fed by Juan Pablo Sorin with a back heel on the left wing, steered a square ball into the box.

With playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme closely marked by Albert Nadj, creation came from all sectors of the Argentine side, notably in a superb second goal just past the hour, netted by substitute Cambiasso.

Argentina moved the ball about in the Serb half from wing to wing before Saviola fed Crespo who stepped over the ball and backheeled it for Cambiasso to fire into the roof of the net past a static Dragoslav Jevric.

Coach Jose Pekerman had been forced after only a quarter of an hour to revert to his starting line-up from Argentina's 2-1 win over Ivory Coast last weekend, bringing Cambiasso on when Luis Gonzalez, the only change in the line-up, looked like he pulled a muscle.

MAXI TWO

Rodriguez made it 3-0 before halftime when Saviola robbed the ball from Mladen Krstajic out on the right wing and ran into the box to shoot low. Jevric got a hand to the ball but it ran free for Rodriguez to tap in at the far post for his second.

Argentina brought on Tevez for Saviola and just past the hour Mateja Kezman was sent off for a two-footed tackle on Javier Mascherano.

To great acclaim from a vast majority of Argentines in the capacity 52,000 crowd, Pekerman sent on Messi in the 74th minute for his World Cup debut.

With 12 minutes left he made his presence felt, breaking down the left and sending a low ball into the box for Crespo to tuck in.

If Serbia thought the agony was over they were cruelly mistaken.

First, with six minutes left, Tevez cut in from the left, nutmegged a defender before finishing calmly with a low shot home.

Then, with two minutes remaining, Messi brought the huge Argentine fan presence to their feet yet again with a low shot through the legs of the keeper after finding room in the area.

By Martin Roberts

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, June 16 (Reuters) - Wildly cheering fans streamed out of cafes onto Buenos Aires' streets on Friday after Argentina demolished Serbia and Montenegro 6-0 to emerge as instant World Cup favorites.

Taxis cruising the capital's streets for scant trade sounded their horns and fire-crackers echoed across the city each time a goal was scored in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

"Now we have the comfort of knowing we've qualified. We're aware there's still a game left, which we mustn't lose, we cannot lose with the football Argentina's playing," said Avelino Cariatti, a masseur, outside a downtown cafe.

CITY CELEBRATIONS

Within minutes of the game ending, hundreds of fans thronged near the downtown Obelisk monument in Buenos Aires, a traditional gathering spot where fans celebrated when Argentina won the tournament in 1978 and 1986.

It was a sharp contrast with Argentina's disappointing first-round exit from the 2002 World Cup, which heightened despondency in a country then in the depths of an economic crisis.

As Argentina played, booking their place in the second round, downtown avenues in Buenos Aires were unusually clear of morning rush-hour traffic.

Cafes painted in the national colors of sky-blue and white were crowded with workers and students having extended breakfasts of coffee and croissants.

Passers-by huddled in the autumn cold and sipped traditional "mate" tea outside electrical stores displaying televisions showing the game. Employees took advantage of a complete absence of customers to watch the game.

Street vendors did a brisk trade in blue-and-white flags, scarves, jesters' hats and wigs.

SCREAMING STUDENTS

"The streets are empty for a Friday, but football is very important in Argentina; it brings all classes together, men and women, everyone," said taxi driver Carlos Jimenez.

"We hadn't expected quite so many goals against a tough team like Serbia-Montenegro, but it's a great result," he added.

Schoolchildren across the country were cheering from the classroom after the education ministry granted special permission for viewing World Cup matches rather than face mass absences.

"It's better that they should miss 90 minutes than the whole day," said Alejandra Barrionuevo, a parent at the Manuela Pedraza primary school in Buenos Aires, as screaming 12-year-old pupils jumped on chairs and hugged each other.