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RIO DEJANEIRO. — Lionel Messi scored one goal and created two others as Argentina beat Ecuador 3-0 in Goiania on Saturday to reach the Copa America semi-finals.
In tomorrow’s last-four match, the 14-time winners will play Colombia, who beat Uruguay on penalties earlier in the day. Messi teed up goals for Rodrigo De Paul and Lautaro Martinez before firing home an injury-time free-kick to cap a stunning individual performance.
The scoreline was harsh on Ecuador, who ended the game with 10 men after Pedro Hicapie’s dismissal but had been competitive throughout.
“The truth is it was a very tough match. We knew the difficulty of playing Ecuador, who work hard with players who are fast, physically strong, young,” said Messi.
“It was a battle until we managed the (second) goal.”
Argentina made a bright start and Martinez almost opened the scoring with a moment of brilliance.
Goalkeeper David Ospina was the hero as Colombia beat Uruguay on penalties in Brasilia.
Ospina saved two spot-kicks in the shoot-out on the day he earned his 112th Colombian cap, moving clear of the previous national record he shared with the iconic Carlos Valderrama.
He dedicated the victory to his civil strife-torn country that would have been one of the twin hosts alongside Argentina before South American football’s governing body Conmebol moved the tournament to Brazil over coronavirus pandemic concerns and social unrest in Colombia.
“We just want to give joy to our country, a country we want to be full of peace, full of people sharing and enjoying, because we have a beautiful country,” said Ospina (32).
There was little to report in a drab 0-0 draw over the regulation 90 minutes before the quarter-final tie went straight to penalties.
Ospina saved from Jose Gimenez and Matias Vina while Colombia scored all four of their penalties.
It was a huge disappointment for Uruguay’s star forward pair Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez, who both converted their spot-kicks but almost certainly have played in their last Copa.
On Friday, Brazil beat Chile 1-0 to reach today’s semi-final against Peru, who defeated Paraguay 4-3 on penalties after an eventful 3-3 draw that saw both sides finish with 10 men. — AFP.
Online Reporter