Except that the country's worst showing ever was a first-round boot from the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan. So the romp in Group C triggered the kind of celebration not seen in years for the national team.

"Vamos, Argentina!" euphoric fans shouted as they hoisted blue-and-white Argentine flags and danced beside the white stone monument called the Obelisk -- a towering spire in Buenos Aires that is a traditional rallying spot.

Some 2,000 people gathered as horn-honking traffic crawled past drum-beating fans, some scampering up streetlights.

Gleeful students in many districts were allowed to watch the match for the first time on classroom TVs. Many school systems allowed Cup-watching in a controversial move some saw as an attempt to discourage massive absenteeism by students determined to watch at all costs.

"This is the first time we can watch the World Cup at school," exclaimed Ana Laura Rodriguez, a 16-year-old who joined friends wearing blue-and-white striped Argentine paint on their faces.

The move to allow classroom viewing was fiercely debated by educators and parents. But some said they made it an "educational experience" by adding lessons on the geography and cultures of World Cup nations.

Elsewhere, factories and offices were idle as Argentina ground to a near-halt as the match played out at midmorning local time. Streets normally clogged with buses and taxicabs were virtually empty until the victory sent traffic, confetti and fans spilling into the streets.

Swirls of confetti fluttered down from office buildings as souvenir vendors rushed into the streets hawking jerseys and flags. Motorcycle messengers roared down highways in formation waving large flags, one costumed as a big, grinning bear.

Stockbroker Dido Cuenca rushed back to the Bolsa, the main stock exchange, where trading was light. Over his grey suit and sombre tie, he decked himself out in an Argentine fan's party cap and a Hawaiian-style lei of blue-and-white colours.

"Hey, Serbia-Montenegro is a good team, but they don't have the World Cup experience we have," he said, analysing the victory as if it were one of the stock market's recent gyrations.

For Argentines, the 6-0 outcome set hopes soaring.

"If we keep playing this way I'm sure we'll win the championship," said Marcos Vigo, a 17-year-old student whose cheering buddies drowned him out.

Claudia Garcia joined the celebrations at the Obelisk, raising a photo portrait of the Argentine team under the words "The fever unites us!"

Argentina won the 1978 tournament at home and won Mexico 1986 when Diego Maradona became the soccer world's idol.

Argentina and Brazil are two of the most soccer-obsessed nations in the world and both have devoted large parts of newscasts and newspapers to World Cup coverage.

Many said they were now relieved by the outcome after Argentina's 2-1 victory last Saturday over Ivory Coast, a result many demanding fans here considered lukewarm.

"This is too good," said Luis Silvetti, savouring the rebirth of Argentina's squad after 2002. He also said he was still on a roll after the birth of a 12-day-old son he cradled in his arms at the Obelisk fan rally.

"I named him Roman, for Roman Riquelme," added Silvetti, in honour of one of the Argentine players. He also dressed the baby entirely in baby blue Argentine colours.

Afterward, janitor Beatriz Navarro swept up piles of confetti at a nearby bank.

"This chore doesn't bother me at all," said Navarro. "In fact, I hope the team keeps on winning so I get to sweep up a lot more confetti."