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Chile thrash Mexico by seven goals, Argentina book semi vs. United States

Tthe Copa America Centenario semifinals are set after Chile and Argentina won their respective quarterfinals on Saturday.

Four goals from Eduardo Vargas helped reigning champions Chile thrash Mexico 7-0 in Santa Clara, Calif.

The loss was coach Juan Carlos Osorio's first in his 11th game in charge of El Tri and ended Mexico's 22-game undefeated streak in unsightly fashion.

Chile took the lead in the 15th minute after Edson Puch stroked in a rebound. A swift Chilean attack started by Alexis Sanchez saw Marcelo Diaz free to shoot from the edge of the box and El Tri keeper Guillermo Ochoa palm the ball out into Puch's path.

Vargas then added his first of four, turning in Jean Beausejour's cross just before halftime.

Chile extended its lead four minutes after half-time, after Arturo Vidal cut the ball back into Sanchez's path to tap in Chile's third.

Vargas then scored in the 52nd, 57th and 74th minutes as Chile racked up the goals against a Mexico side shorn of the confidence it had shown this far in the tournament and a shambles at the back.

Puch netted the final goal of a historic night for both sides -- for very different reasons -- three minutes from the end.

In Saturday's other quarterfinal, Lionel Messi had a goal and two assists in his first start at the Copa America as Argentina defeated Venezuela 4-1.

Gonzalo Higuain also scored twice as Argentina advanced to face the United States in a semifinal on Tuesday in Houston.

After only appearing as a substitute in two group-stage games while recovering from a back injury, Messi proved dangerous from the beginning as he dribbled into the top of the Venezuela box and chipped a shot that goalkeeper Daniel Hernandez snagged.

Messi had more success as a provider in the eighth minute, when he lofted a perfect pass between two defenders. A sliding Higuain met the ball on the half-volley and redirected it past Hernandez.

Argentina kept up the pressure and Higuain had a sharp shot blocked in front of goal. The striker was soon rewarded for his efforts, though, when he picked off Figuera's horrendous back pass and rounded Hernandez to tap home for Argentina's second goal.

Messi finally got his goal on the hour mark after Oswaldo Vizcarrondo gave the ball away deep in his own half. Nicolas Gaitan ran onto it and passed across to Messi, who finished past Hernandez to make it 3-0.

Venezuela earned a lifeline when Salomon Rondon flicked a header past Romero from a Alejandro Guerra cross on 70 minutes.

But Argentina hit back less than a minute later as Messi fed substitute Erik Lamela, whose shot squirmed past Hernandez to cap the scoring.