Argentina stroll, Chile advance

Argentina maintained their 100 percent start
to the Copa America Centenario
with an
easy win over Bolivia, as holders Chile
booked their place in the quarter-finals on
Tuesday.
The tournament favorites, already assured
of a quarter-final berth after wins over Chile
and Panama, wrapped up their Group D
campaign with one-sided win at Seattle's
CenturyLink Field.
The victory sees Argentina reach the last
eight as group winners, handing them what
in theory should be a straightforward
assignment against Venezuela in
Foxborough on Saturday.
The two-time world champions are
determined to end a 23-year wait for a major
title after suffering agonizing defeats in the
finals of the 2014 World Cup and last year's
Copa America.
Argentina coach Gerardo Martino elected to
rest captain Lionel Messi after his
devastating hat-trick performance against
Panama.
But the Argentines were still far too strong
for a feeble Bolivian team who were
overwhelmed in a devastating opening
period.
The match was effectively settled within the
first quarter of an hour, with Tottenham
Hotspur winger Erik Lamela opening the
scoring with a deflected free-kick in the
13th minute.
Two minutes later China-based forward
Ezequiel Lavezzi marked his comeback from
injury with a goal, volleying home from close
range after Gonzalo Higuain's downward
header.
Central defender Victor Cuesta made it 3-0
just after the half-hour, diverting home
Lavezzi's low cross in the 32nd minute.
With Messi coming on as a substitute at
half-time, the game became a question of
when or if the Barcelona superstar could
grab a 54th international goal to equal
Gabriel Batistuta's longstanding scoring
record.
However despite Argentina's dominance of
possession -- which reached 87 percent at
one point -- Messi was unable to add to his
tally.
- Sanchez at the double -
In Tuesday's other game, Alexis Sanchez
and Eduardo Vargas both scored twice as
Chile advanced with a 4-2 victory over
Panama.
Chile recovered from the shock of falling
behind to a Miguel Camargo goal after only
five minutes, with Vargas scoring twice
before Arsenal's Sanchez grabbed a third in
the Group D game.
Sanchez added his second in the 89th
minute to complete the scoring.
Chile will now face Mexico in the pick of the
quarter-finals on Saturday.
However they will be keen to iron out kinks
in their defensive display which saw them
concede two cheap goals.
The Chileans were given a scare early on
when Camargo gave the Panamanians an
early lead. Chile defender Gonzalo Jara was
the culprit, giving away possession with a
lazy pass out of defense that allowed
Panama to pounce.
The ball arrived at Camargo's feet and the
midfielder let fly with a venomous low shot
which Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo
failed to grasp to leave Panama 1-0 up.
Chile hit back quickly however, leveling
through Vargas, who tapped in from close
range after Panama goalkeeper Jaime
Penedo could only half block a Sanchez
shot.
Two minutes before the break, Chile took
the lead, Vargas heading in a cross from the
left for 2-1.
Five minutes into the second half, it was
3-1. Vargas picked out Sanchez with a
lofted pass from one side of the penalty
area to the other and the Arsenal star
showed great technique to lash a volley into
the roof of the net.
Chile were jolted by a second Panama goal
on 75 minutes, when Abdiel Arroyo headed in
a free-kick from Ricardo Buitrago to make it
3-2 but finished on top to seal the win when
Sanchez added his second.