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England hit six to advance

Kelly Smith scored twice to send England into the quarter-finals of the women's World Cup yesterday with a 6-1 destruction of already eliminated Argentina.

The star striker pounced in the 64th and the 77th minutes to bring her World Cup tally to four goals in three games in Group A and book England a place in the last eight for the first time since 1995.

It was a nightmare end to the tournament for Argentina.

Captain Eva Gonzalez scored an own goal and the team gave away two penalties and had a player sent off -- the first red card of the championships -- as they finished with three straight defeats and just one goal to 18 conceded.

England got off to the best start when Gonzalez scored the first of her two goals -- but this one was a goal for the opposition.

She attempted to clear a Casey Stoney cross after nine minutes but guided it into her own net instead.

After 60 minutes she made amends by scoring the only goal of the tournament for her team.

By then, England were home and dry and were playing 11 against 10 after Catalina Perez picked up her second yellow card in the 49th minute for a lunge at Smith and was sent off.

After the Gonzalez own goal, Jill Scott scored a minute later with a long-range effort to put England a well-deserved 2-0 up at halftime.

Fara Williams converted a penalty on 50 minutes after Perez was sent off and second-half substitute Vicky Exley added another from the spot after 90 minutes.

It was England's first win after drawing with world champions Germany and Japan in their first two games.
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