May 23, 2002

NARAHA, Japan, May 23 (AFP) - Gabriel Batistuta banged in four goals as Argentina whipped J-League champions Kashima Antlers 5-1 here Thursday in a convincing warm-up match ahead of the World Cup finals.

The 33-year-old Roma striker was sent in after half-time to serve as the sole forward after Hernan Crespo, Ariel Ortega and Claudio Lopez battled up front in the first half.

He proved too strong for the Kashima defence as he whacked four goals, including two headers.

Argentina, the two-time World Cup champions and favourties locked in a tough first-round "Group of Death" with England, Nigeria and Sweden, opened the scoring on seven minutes when defender Mauricio Pochettino netted from a left corner fired over by Manchester United star Juan Sebastian Veron.

Kashima, missing six players who were away with the Japanese World Cup team, evened it up in the 47th minute with a goal from midfielder Takuya Nozawa.

But the match turned lopsided after Batistuta's entry and Kashima could not keep up the momentum against a tight Argentine defence led by Valanecia's Roberto Ayala.