03 July 2007

Paraguay and Argentina have advanced into the last-8 of the Copa America. Paraguay defeated the United States 3-1 at La Carolina, yesterday while Argentina dismissed Columbia 4-2 at the Jose Parchencho Romero stadium. Level on 6-points atop Group-C, the two sides will lock horns on Thursday, 05 July at Estadio Metropolitano.

NIC Nijmegen midfielder Edgar Barreto opened the scoring for Paraguay, yesterday afternoon. The 22-year-old's strike was canceled by Houston Dynamo defensive midfielder Ricardo Clark just 10-minutes later. And while Oscar Rene Cardozo regained the lead for Paraguay just shy of the hour-mark, the Americans missed scores of opportunities for an equalizer over the final 30-minutes. Salvador Cabanas rubbed salt in the wound with his insurance-marker in added-time. The goal was his third of the tournament thus far. "The result was difficult for us," stated American coach Bob Bradley. "We feel the effort of the team was strong."

Argentina tallied 4-goals for the second consecutive match -- routing Columbia 4-2 through a Juan Roman Riquelme brace. The Columbians started brightly, however. Edixon Perea, the 24-year-old Bordeaux player, opened his country's account after 10-minutes -- deflecting David Ferreira's effort with a superb back-heel. Hernan Crespo equalized for Argentina on a penalty-kick just 9-minutes later after Lionel Messi was tripped in the area. Unfortunately for the Inter Milan striker, he pulled a muscle while taking the kick and was immediately replaced by Real Zaragoza forward Alberto Diego Milito. Argentina tallied twice more before the interval. Riquelme scored both times -- the first a header from a lovely Javier Zanetti cross. Jaime Alberto Castrillon pulled Columbia to within a goal with his strike in the 73rd-minute. But Milito made good on his substitution -- rounding-out the scoring in 2nd-half added-time.

Sunday's fixtures included a 3-0 win for Brazil over Chile and Mexico's 2-1 defeat of Ecuador. The victory gives Brazil its first points of the competition after last week's loss to Mexico. The Mexicans, on the other hand, are through to the quarter-finals with the win. Nery Castillo and Omar Bravo did the business for Mexico while Robinho struck a hat-trick for Brazil.

In today's action, Peru will face Bolivia while Venezuela take on Uruguay.