Men's Pan American Cup 2004

STEVE COAD
The Argentines were up and at 'em early. Just about the time Londoners were finishing breakfast and getting themselves off to work or school yesterday, defending champion Argentina was busy devouring Vene-zuela 16-0 in the opening game of the second Pan American Cup men's field hockey championship at TD Waterhouse Stadium.

As lopsided as it was, the outcome wasn't unexpected.

For one thing, goals are important -- the more, the merrier -- because goal differential may decide a nation's playoff fate.

Another reason for the rout is that Jorge Lombi, a 32-year-old forward with 223 international caps, was on fire.

Lombi, just back from Europe where he plays for Campo de Madrid, led Argentina with a vengeance, scoring 10 goals.

"We came here to prepare for the Olympics and to qualify" for the 2006 World Cup in Monchengladbach, Germany, he said. "There's only one qualifying spot here, so this is very important."

The World Cup, held every four years, ranks second only to the Olympics in the hierarchy of field hockey's biggest events. The winner here, to be declared here on May 23, automatically qualifies.

Excited about Athens?

"Oh, yeah. It's unbelievable. For 15 days, it's a big party. We're very excited," said Lombi, a two-time Olympian and the leading scorer in Sydney in 2000, where Argentina finished eighth.

Argentina isn't often mentioned in the same breath as such world powers as Germany, Holland, India, Pakistan, Australia, South Korea and Spain, but they aren't that far away.

After finishing ninth at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and a fairly disappointing eighth in Sydney, the Argentines have enjoyed excellent results.

They placed sixth at the 2002 World Cup and fifth at last year's Champions' Trophy event in Rotterdam, another major international competition.

"We keep improving. Maybe, in Athens, we can get to the semifinals," he said with a shrug that suggests it's certainly not impossible."

Asked if 10 goals in an international match is a career-high, Lombi nods in the affirmative. "One other time I scored nine. Today, the team made it easy for me."

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