Argentina advances with Messi hat trick
Lionel Messi scored three goals in a dazzling secondhalf display in his return from a back injury, and Argentina beat Panama, 5-0, on Friday night in Chicago to clinch a spot in the knockout round of the Copa America Centenario.
Messi replaced Augusto Fernandez in the 61st minute, drawing a big ovation from a sea of No. 10 Argentina jerseys and the familiar colors of Barcelona, his club team.
A few minutes later, the five-time FIFA player of the year got right back to work.
First, Roderick Miller’s clearing attempt for Panama went off Gonzalo Higuain and right to Messi, who took a couple of dribbles and then beat Jaime Penedo on the ground to the goaltender’s right side.
Then Messi sent a curling free kick into the top left corner of the goal in the 78th minute, making it 3-0 and drawing gasps from the crowd.
A left-footed chip past Penedo on the goaltender’s right side finished off Messi’s fourth international hat trick. It gave Messi 53 international goals, three shy of Gabriel Batistuta’s Argentine record.
Messi’s appearance attracted 53,885, cruising past the 39,642 for the United States’ 4-0 victory against Costa Rica on Tuesday.
Chile 2, Bolivia 1: Arturo Vidal scored his second goal of the game on a penalty kick in second-half stoppage time and Chile kept alive its hopes of advancing in Group D play at Foxborough, Mass.
Defending Copa America champion Chile ended a losing streak at three games.
Bolivia has lost six consecutive games and has given up at least two goals in each of its last 12 games.