PORTO ALEGRE. Brazil. Sept 7: Superstar Rivaldo, arguably the best player in the world at the moment, scored a superb hat-trick to help Brazil down Argentina 4-2 in a friendly match here on Tuesday - to avenge Saturday's 2-0 defeat in Buenos Aires, reports AFP.

On Brazil's independence day. the 27-year-old. . leading scorer last season in the Spanish League, rounded the Argentinian keeper to notch his first in the 40th minute and headed the second from Roberto Carlos' cross two minutes later. The mercurial marksman was earlier unlucky to have a 12th minute strike ruled out for offside.

Brazil was on the attack from the start with the fearsome 'R' trio of Ronaldo Assis. Rivaldo and Ronaldo looking sharp and dangerous.

Despite Roberto Ayala grabbing one back Rivaldo sealed the win with a well struck effort in the 71st minute after Ronaldo set him up having bemused the Argentinian right-back.

Rivaldo repaid the compliment by releasing Ronaldo in the 84th minute with the Inter Milan star using his speed to break the offside trap and rifle home the ball from outside the penalty area.

The entry of Diego Simeone and Marcelo Gallardo, two of

five second half substitutes, gave Argentina more strength up front but the changes unbalanced the team and they looked vulnerable at the back..

However, the Argentinians grabbed a last minute consolation goal through a superb solo effort by their playmaker Ariel Ortega.

However, the defeat will heap more pressure on Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa. who had been much criticised in the Argentinian press after the disappointing Copa America campaign - they were defeated by Brazil in the quarter-finals.

Il had been a dismal showing by Argentina with a hint of farce accompanying the bad results.

Boca Juniors striker Martin Palermo missed three penalties in the Copa group match defeat bv Colombia - an unprecedented if dubious feat.

And Bielsa's authority was further undermined by an unedifying public slanging match at Asuncion airport with Inde-pendiente forward Jose Luis Calderon with senior players having to intervene to prevent a