For the top-ranked United States, it serves as a warning heading into its opener tomorrow against North Korea in Group B. The margin of victory was the largest in the women's World Cup, and the goals were the most by a single team.

"It was a nightmare start for our team," Argentine coach Jose Carlos Borrello said.

Veteran forwards Birgit Prinz and Sandra Smisek combined for six goals — three each — as the Germans dominated every part of the Group A match over their smaller opponents.

Prinz, playing in her 165th game for Germany, scored with a thumping header, knocked in a loose ball at the far post, and then slipped a glancing header past Argentine goalkeeper Vanina Correa.

Prinz's 12th overall goal in the World Cup finals equaled American Michelle Akers' record for World Cup goals and surpassed the previous German record of 11 by Bettina Wiegmann.

Smisek, who has played nearly 120 matches for Germany, scored a second-half hat trick.

"It was easier than expected," Prinz said. "We had a lot of open space and we used that space. We took our chances well."

The previous most lopsided scores in the World Cup were 8-0, when Sweden beat Japan in 1991 and Norway defeated Nigeria in 1995.

With the midfield in complete control, the Germans knocked balls over the Argentine back wall and attacked wide.

"Our offense never stopped going forward, and we played well down the wings," German coach Silvia Neid said.

Prinz, who scored twice in the first half, was a constant threat, towering over the Argentine defenders and outrunning them.

Germany, which beat Sweden in extra time of the World Cup final four years ago in the United States, could have had even more goals if not for numerous missed changes and two goals called back for offside.

Argentina threatened several times, forcing German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer to tip a free kick over the bar.

Her Argentine counterpart Correa was not so lucky. On both Germany's first and last goals, Correa knocked the ball into her own net on corner kicks.

"Our goalkeeper was very unlucky. She made two mistakes and it cost us two goals," Borrello said. "Today was a nightmare for her."

The other German goals were scored by forward Kerstin Garefrekes and midfielders Melanie Behringer and Renate Lingor, who opened the scoring in the second half by knocking down a poor clearance at the edge of the area to loop the ball over Correa into the far corner of the net.

The other teams in Group A, Japan and England, play tomorrow.

Germany plays England on Friday, and Neid said "that will be a totally different game."

The 16-team tournament is spread around five cities in China with the final in Shanghai on Sept. 30.