Mexico, Argentina win at Copa America

Jul 9, 2007 - 2:05 AM MATURIN, Venezuela (Ticker) -- Mexico cruised to a 6-0 rout of a 10-man Paraguay squad to cruise into the semifinals of the Copa America on Sunday.

Mexico will face Argentina - which beat Peru 4-0 on Sunday - in Wednesday's semifinal.

Hugo Sanchez's side were in control from as early as the second minute when a woeful back-pass from Julio Cesar Caceres allowed Nery Castillo to get a clear run on goal which was crudely halted by Paraguay goalkeeper Aldo Bobadilla.

Bobadilla was shown the red card and Castillo slotted home the spot-kick past replacement custodian Joel Zayas.

The Guaranies went on making mistakes and it cost them a second goal in the 26th minute when Juan Carlos Cacho burst through midfield without a challenge before laying the ball off to Gerardo Torrado and his rising drive flew past the helpless Zayas.

Twelve minutes later, Castillo proved why he has been one of the Copa America's outstanding performers with his fourth goal of the tournament - a fine volley from the edge of the area.

Mexico almost added a fourth before half-time but Jaime Correa somehow shot wide at the far post after wonderful work from Castillo.

Castillo was taken off nine minutes into the second half with a leg injury but it is not expected to keep him out of the last four clash.

Caceres threatened a consolation for Paraguay with a header which was well saved by Oswaldo Sanchez but it only spurred Mexico into action and they made it 4-0 when Fernando Arce fired a shot over Zayas from 20 yards.

Paraguay's misery was not yet complete and Mexico added two more goals before the final whistle.

The fifth came from the spot, subsitutute Cuauhtemoc Blanco firing home after Andres Guardado had been tripped by Claudio Morel Rodriguez.

And in injury time, Omar Bravo headed home at the far post.

In Sunday's second game, Argentina continued the high-scoring trend in the quarterfinals as a second-half salvo saw Alfio Basile's side thrash Peru 4-0 in Barquismeto, Venezuela.

Juan Roman Riquelme's double plus goals from Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano keyed the victory.

With Brazil beating Chile, 6-1, and Colombia ousting hosts Venezuela, 4-1, the last eight has certainly not been short on goals, although for a while that looked like it was going to be the case in Barquisimeto.

A frustrating opening 45 minutes for Argentina ended scoreless as Diego Milito failed to make any impact against the Peruvian defense.

However, Basile brought on Carlos Tevez for Milito during the interval and that made the difference as Riquelme and Messi came into their own.

Riquelme made the breakthrough two minutes after halftime as a nice move involving the midfielder and Tevez finished with him beating Leao Butron with a left-foot strike.

Tevez hit the crossbar with a header five minutes later before Riquelme turned provider after 61 minutes. The 29-year-old played in Messi with a beautiful ball and the Barcelona sensation nutmegged Butron to double Argentina's lead.

The third came in the 74th minute when Tevez fed Messi and, despite the latter's shot being parried by Butron, Liverpool midfielder Mascherano pounced for his second of the tournament.

Argentina completed the scoring with five minutes to go when Manchester United target Tevez beat his man and found Riquelme, who coolly slotted past Butron for his second of the game.