Copa América 2007

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The Copa América 2007 is the 42nd edition of the Copa América, the main international football tournament for South America. It is organized by CONMEBOL, South America's football governing body, and is set to be held in Venezuela between June 26 and July 15, 2007, being the first time that Venezuela will hold the tournament. The winner may represent CONMEBOL at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.


Competing nations

• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Brazil (Holders)
• Chile
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Mexico (Invitee)
• Paraguay
• Peru
• United States (Invitee)
• Uruguay
• Venezuela (Hosts)

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مسابقات كوپا آمريكا

برزيل با درخشش روبينييو شيلي را شكست داد


تيم ملي فوتبال برزيل با گلزني روبينيو موفق شد با 3 گل تيم ملي شيلي را در مسابقات كوپا آمريكا شكست دهد.



به نقل از رويترز، شب گذشته در ادامه اين مسابقات تيم برزيل در ديداري حساس موفق شد با درخشش روبينييو با نتيجه 3 بر صفر شيلي را شكست دهد.

روبينييو هر 3 گل برزيل را به ثمر رساند تا مردان سرزمين قهوه به صعود از اين مرحله گروهي اميدوار شوند.

در ديگر ديدار گروه B تيم ملي مكزيك با نتيجه 2 بر يك اكوادور را شكست داد تا صعود اين تيم پيش از به پايان رسيدن بازي*هاي مرحله گروهي، قطعي شود.

مكزيك با توجه به پيروزي در ديدار اول برابر تيم ملي برزيل 6 امتيازي است و برزيل با وجود پيروزي برابر شيلي ، همچنان در رتبه سوم قرار دارد؛ اما در صورت برتري در سومين ديدار، بخت اصلي براي صعود به مرحله بعدي مسابقات است.

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پس از پيروزي مقابل شيلي

دونگا: ديدار سنگيني را برگزار كرديم


سرمربي تيم فوتبال برزيل پس از پيروزي 3 بر صفر برابر شيلي گفت: بازي سنگيني را در دومين مسابقه از مرحله گروهي برگزار كرديم.



به نقل از رويترز، تيم ملي فوتبال برزيل شب گذشته در دومين مسابقه از مرحله گروهي كوپا آمريكا موفق شد با هت تريك روبينييو، تيم شيلي را با نتيجه 3 بر صفر شكست دهد.

كارلوس دونگا در پايان مسابقه گفت: سرسختانه با حريف بازي كرده و مسابقه سنگيني را انجام داديم. بازيكنان شيلي تدافعي بازي مي كردند و در نيمه اول، فضاي كافي براي حمله نداشتيم.

وي ادامه داد: در نيمه دوم بازي روان تر شد و فرصت هاي زيادي براي گلزني به دست آورده و موفق به گذشتن از سد حريف شديم.

دونگا اظهار داشت: در بازي فوتبال زماني كه مسابقه را تحت كنترل مي گيريد ، بي شك موقيعت ها براي گلزني بيشتر مي شوند. براي رسيدن به پيروزي بايد در اين ديدار ريسك مي كرديم.

وي عنوان كرد: خوشبختانه برزيل بازيكنان با كيفيتي در اختيار دارد كه مي توانند موقعيت هاي خوبي را براي تيم خلق كنند.

در ديگر ديدار تيم ملي مكزيك، صدرنشين گروه B موفق شد با نتيجه 2 بر يك اكوادور را شكست داده و با 6 امتياز صدرنشين شود.

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Venezuela 2-0 Peru Copa America 2007 - Alejandro Cichero & Substitute Daniel Arismendi Seal Hosts Second Win In Copa Tournament
Submitted by Scott Harkness on Sun, 01/07/2007 - 01:24.

Venezuela have beaten Peru 2-0 in their second Group A match in the Copa América 2007. Second-half goals from Alejandro Cichero and substitute Daniel Arismendi sealed Venezuela’s second win ever in the South American tournament

Venezuela had a goal ruled-out in the 5th minute after Venezuelan striker Giancarlo Maldonado was rightly flagged offside after leaping on a rebound, much to the dismay of the home-fans who, to date had only seen their team record one win in their long Copa América history.

Peru then went down to 10-men after Maldonado was elbowed by Pedro Garcia, who was shown a straight red-card by the referee in the 15th minute.

This meant that for most of the first-half Peru were content with defending, except for a brief spell in the middle of the half, when Sanntiago Acasiete had Peru’s only attempt on-target in the first-half, with José Paolo Guerrero shooting wide.

Ricardo David Páez and Fernando de Ornellas both had shots off-target for the hosts, with José Manuel Rey and Juan Fernando Arango both forcing Peru goalkeeper Leao Butrón into saves, but nothing to seriously worry the Peruvians during the first period.

The first-half finished 0-0, with the 10-men of Peru still very much in the game, and with the hosts struggling to find a way through the sturdy Peruvian defence.

Venezuela head coach Richard Páez made his half-time team-talk pay-off shortly after half-time, with his team coming out with far more intent and causing problems for Peru.

Alejandro Cichero opened for the home-side just minutes into the second-half, with a header from a corner, which he rose well to tuck past the helpless Butrón, with the crowd going wild at the prospect of a win.

Peru's Chelsea striker Claudio Pizarro was brought down by Hector Gonzalez in the 61st minute, for what seemed a clear-cut penalty, but the referee waved it away, increasing the tension in the Peru team.

José Paolo Guerrero had a couple of chances to bring Peru back into the game, but his shots were again off-target, with substitute Juan Carlos Mariño's powerful shot denied by Renny Vicente Vega in the Venezuela goal.

Ricardo Paéz, son of the Venezuelan head coach Richard, was sent-off with only twelve minutes to play, bringing both teams down to 10-men and giving hope to Peru, but their hopes were smashed when, just minutes after coming onto the pitch, striker Daniel Arismendi sealed Venezuela’s win, only the second win that Venezuela have ever registered in their history in the tournament.

Venezuela now have a great chance to qualify from Group A, as they currently lead Group A on 4 points, ahead of Peru and Uruguay who have 3 points, with Bolivia on 1 point.

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Mexico advances, but there are lingering questions


For all the questions that plagued Mexico during the CONCACAF Gold Cup, El Tri continues to pile up victories.

Granted, El Tri fell short when it counted the most -- against the U.S. in last week's Gold Cup final -- but Mexico is showing no ill effects from losing out on the regional crown and the 2009 Confederations Cup.

A 2-1 win over Ecuador on Sunday sent Mexico through to the Copa America quarterfinals. With a win or draw over Chile on Wednesday, El Tri will win Group B and move on to a knockout match against Group C's second-place side, most likely Argentina or Paraguay.

Mexico's 2-0 victory over Brazil on Wednesday silenced many critics and Sunday's triumph is certain to continue to draw rave reviews.

And while some aspects of the match stood out, there remain several areas that need clarification if Mexico is to claim its first Copa America championship. Whether or not Mexico's plusses and minuses cancel each other out or lead to Copa glory will determine how Mexico enters the next phase of this World Cup cycle.

PLUS: Oswaldo Sanchez played a stellar game in goal. He made several clutch saves in the second half when Mexico was up 1-0. The former Chivas de Guadalajara standout showed why he has been a part of three World Cup teams and why he has been the unquestioned first-choice 'keeper for much of the last four years.

The only blemish was courtesy of a defensive error and a fluky bounce. Edison Mendez ripped a 20-yard shot that deflected off Jonny Magallon and into the back of the net. Otherwise, Sanchez stopped all Ecuadorian shots he faced.

MINUS: Where was Guillermo Ochoa? After a startling performance against Brazil, Ochoa was inexplicably on the bench against Ecuador. With all due respect, if Ochoa stopped everything Brazil had to offer, certainly he could have turned away whatever the Ecuadorians had for him.

If Hugo Sanchez's goal is to best prepare for the 2010 World Cup, it would seem Ochoa would be best suited to start every meaningful match from now on. But if the Mexican coach is set on slowly building the team by succeeding in tournaments from now until then, he may continue to count on "San Oswaldo."

PLUS: Omar Bravo put away a goal as Mexico refused to sit back and protect its 1-0 lead. Cuauhtemoc Blanco did well to cross a ball from the right flank into the center of the box and the Clausura 2007 leading scorer buried the ball into the back of the net.

Bravo's finishing touch is much needed on El Tri, and his effort Sunday ultimately was the game-winner. Had Mexico been content with a one-goal lead, perhaps the result would have been different against Ecuador.

MINUS: Can we expect similar efforts from Bravo from now on? A year ago, Bravo seemed to have finally broken through on the national team. Bravo first made real noise in the Clausura 2003 season with a 12-goal campaign but has long been an enigma with El Tri. He scored two goals in a friendly against Paraguay in March 2006, then scored two goals against Iran in the World Cup opener. But all that progress essentially vanished when Bravo sailed a penalty kick over the crossbar in a 2-1 loss to Portugal.

An effective Bravo would give Sanchez another option in an attractive stable of forwards. Juan Carlos Cacho has played well in two games at Copa America and Nery Castillo is the real deal. With Carlos Vela on the way, Bravo would be just another weapon for Sanchez to throw at opposing teams. But if Bravo's best is saved for his club, then he will continue to be a frustrating forward.

PLUS: Mexico has not quite elevated its play in two games thus far, but that's merely nitpicking. El Tri's 2-0 triumph over Brazil would have been difficult to duplicate against Ecuador. Still, the manner in which Mexico followed it up was impressive. Mexico regressed in its second game in the Gold Cup by losing to Honduras 2-1.

But now, Mexico seems to have found its footing. El Tri showed consistency in its lineup as this particular squad seems best suited to pull results going forward, the Ochoa-Sanchez debate notwithstanding. With Rafael Marquez seemingly 100 percent match-fit, Gerardo Torrado providing force and stability in the midfield and Castillo continuing to impress up top, Mexico seemingly has a strong foundation at each area of the field.

MINUS: The knockout stages loom. First, Mexico must deal with Chile and needs to avoid a letdown. But after that, these strong efforts need to pay off with results. Mexico has often shown the ability to play at a high level but has not followed up with victories. Against Argentina in last summer's World Cup, Mexico put forth a fantastic effort but it went for naught as El Tri fell in extra time, 2-1. In the 2005 Confederations Cup, Mexico stunned Brazil but lost to both Argentina and Germany later on in the tournament despite a pair of grand efforts.

In Copa America, Sanchez and Mexico are at the level of play where they want it. But if this is as good as it gets, Mexican fans are in for a long and tumultuous World Cup cycle.

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Robinho powers Brazil victory

Real Madrid midfielder Robinho scored a hat-trick for Brazil in a 3-0 victory Sunday over Chile and Mexico beat Ecuador 2-1 to book a quarter-final date in Copa America group B matches.

Robinho opened the scoring for Brazil thanks to a penalty in the 36th minute, and after a tense second half for the former world champions he grabbed a brace within six minutes of regulation time to get Brazil off the mark.

Brazil were stunned 2-0 by unfancied Mexico in their first group encounter, when Brazil had spurned chances to score in the second half - notably when Robinho's drive clipped the crossbar.

The Mexicans sealed a spot in the final eight with their second triumph, thanks to goals by Hery Castillo in the 22nd minute and Omar Bravo in the 80th.

Edison Mendez pulled one back in the 85th for Ecuador, but the South Americans could not find the equalizer against their North American guests.

Ecuador could still advance to the quarter-finals with a victory over Brazil on Wednesday in Puerto La Cruz, where the Mexicans will meet Chile.

[abadani69]

Two goals by new Chelsea signing Claudio Pizarro helped Peru twice come from behind to book their place in the quarterfinals of the Copa America after a 2-2 draw with Bolivia.

In front of 40,000 fans at the crowded Metropolitano stadium in Merida, Bolivia knew only victory in their final Group A clash was enough to make the last eight and began in promising fashion.

Jhasmani Campos' long-range efforttested Leao Butron before the Peru keeper produced a good stop to deny Lorgio Alvarez.

Hamburg striker Paolo Guerrero called Bolivia keeper Hugo Suarezinto action for the first time with an acrobatic attempt before Erwin Sanchez's side took the lead in the 24th minute.

Jaime Moreno gave his side a crucial advantage as the DC United striker cleverly lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Leao Butron from outside the box.

The lead lasted only 10 minutes, however, as Pizarro equalized with a precise header from Juan Carlos Marino's free-kick before Bolivia went ahead for the second time on the stroke of half-time as Joselito Vacafed Campos, whose powerful volley left Butron with no chance.

"All in all we should be happy as we've qualified, but we need to cut out the errors we committed," Pizarro said. "We can't play like that in the quarter-finals but I'm sure the coach will take the appropriate measures. He will be calm and prepare us for the next game."

However, Peru coach Julio Cesar Uribe did not show much calmness when asked about his team's performance.

"I'm not happy but we obtained our target," the Peru coach said. "We had a plan but once the team got on the pitch, they did something completely different. We played badly in the first half but improved after the break."

Uribe sent on Roberto Jimenez and Ysrael Zuniga during the interval in a bid to give his side more of an attacking threat.

But it was Bolivia who dominated possession with Suarez rarely threatened and Peru's task became even harder on 78 minutes when they were reduced to 10 men as Alianza Lima midfielderJoel Herrera picked up two yellow cards in less than two minutes.

However, another Marino free-kick five minutes from time allowed Pizarro to once again pull his side level with a towering header as the Incas sealed their passage to the knockout stages.

Bolivia, on the other hand, exited the tournament without a win to their name after drawing with hosts Venezuela and then suffering a narrow loss to Uruguay.

Venezuela topped a group at the Copa America for the first time in its history after a 0-0 draw with Uruguay in Merida on Tuesday saw the hosts win Group A.

A point apiece was good enough for both sides to qualify for the quarterfinals and neither team took any undue risks in drawing the first blank of the tournament.

The result meant Venezuela ended the group phase with five points and an unbeaten record, while Uruguay and Peru finished tied with four points but the latter claimed second place by virtue of a better goal difference.

Venezuela came closest to breaking the deadlock in a pedestrian first half but Uruguay keeperFabian Carinidid well to keep out Mallorca star Juan Arango'seffort from distance which was heading for the top corner. Carini was the saviour again three minutes later, denying Giancarlo Maldonado when the striker just had the Internazionale stopper to beat.

The second half carried on in much the same vein, although Uruguayan coach Oscar WashingtonTabarez did introduceAlvaro RecobaandSebastian Abreuto provide more attacking impetus but they still did not trouble Venezuela goalkeeper Rennie Vega.

Striker Diego Forlan fired just wide after 51 minutes and at the other end, Cesar Gonzalez saw a free-kick just clear the bar at the death for Venezuela.

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Colombia and the United States head into their final Copa America Group C game relying heavily on results elsewhere going in their favor if they are to have any hope of making the quarterfinals.

Neither side has collected any points from their opening games and will be hoping to scrape through as a third-placed team.

In Group A, Uruguay has already secured one of two third-placed spots available with four points.


Group B, which concludes on Wednesday, has Brazil and Chile on three points each, while Ecuador are point-less. Therefore, if Chile loses to Mexico and Ecuador is beaten by Brazil, the winner of the Colombia-USA match would still have a chance of progressing provided it scores plenty of goals.

The Colombian press have already called for the head of Jorge Luis Pinto, and the coach is clearly worried.

"If I was a bit worried about some aspects before the Copa America, I must confess that now I am even more worried than before ahead of the World Cup qualifiers," Pinto said.

"We'll see if we make some changes to play the United States. I want to field at least three players who haven't played before in the tournament."

The United States came into the tournament on the back of its CONCACAF Gold Cup success on home soil, but coach Bob Bradley decided to travel to Venezuela with a virtual second-string team.

Despite coming in for criticism, the coach still believes his troops are gaining valuable experience.

"I think it's going to help us in the long run," Bradley said. "We have to learn how to manage a game. That's the most important thing as a whole."

"I think the Argentina game was a wake up call," midfielder Ricardo Clark said. "Against Paraguay, we came out with more intensity and we created a lot more chances.

"I think we put in a good effort, which is positive, but at the end of the day, soccer is a results-oriented business and we haven't got one. ... All we can do now is get better and try to get a win against Colombia."

[persian_king]

i dont think there should be a poll for this one. Argentina is by far the champion.

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Colombia goalkeeper Miguel Calero is considering retiring from international football after the Copa America.

Calero has conceded nine goals in the two Group C matches so far against Paraguay and Argentina, and will not play in the final pool game against the United States on Thursday evening.

"I want to dedicate more time to my family. I don't regret anything," Calero told El Pais newspaper. "I feel it's time to help new people appear to inspire our people ahead of the World Cup.

"I have already talked to my family and they are one of the reasons I've thought about stepping aside. I have four or five years of activity and I want to dedicate more time to them."

Jorge Luis Pinto's side have come in for criticism for their performances in Venezuela, but Pachuca custodian Calero insists he and the other experienced players should not be made scapegoats.

"It's quite normal, it's always happened, but personally I don't feel I'm the only one responsible because people know me and know the type of professional I am," Calero said. "We play for the national team to help and contribute with the experience we've earned abroad. We did our best."

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The United States was eliminated from the Copa America when Brazil defeated Ecuador 1-0 and Mexico played a 0-0 tie against Chile on Wednesday night.

The United States, which lost 4-1 to Argentina 3-1 to Paraguay, needed Ecuador to beat Brazil in the second game of Wednesday night's doubleheader to remain in contention for a quarterfinal berth. The winless U.S. team plays its final game Thursday against Colombia (0-2), which was also knocked out.

Brazil (2-1) was sluggish and needed a disputed penalty goal by Robinho to beat Ecuador.

After a scoreless first half, and with Ecuador threatening, a foul was called in the 56th minute on Giovanni Espinoza for grabbing Robinho, who fell to the ground.

Despite the protests of the Ecuadoreans, the Real Madrid striker buried the penalty shot just to the right of goalkeeper Marcelo Elizaga for his fourth goal in the South American championships. He leads the tournament in goals.

With the victory, Brazil finishes second in Group B, setting up a quarterfinal rematch Saturday in Puerto La Cruz against Chile.

Ecuador (0-3) goes home winless despite having fielded much of the same veteran squad that helped it qualify for the past two World Cups.

Chile (1-1-1) earned a quarterfinal berth with the tie, and Mexico (2-0-1), an invited guest along with the United States, already was assured of advancing.

"We're gaining recognition and respect," Mexican coach Hugo Sanchez said. "I'm sure that whoever we face, whether it's Argentina or Paraguay, neither of them want to play against Mexico."

Chile lost 3-0 in the first meeting with Brazil.

"The most important thing was to qualify," Chilean coach Nelson Acosta said. "We wanted to score a goal, but the rival was difficult."

CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American soccer, was unhappy the U.S. Soccer Federation sent a youthful team and omitted most of its regular starters from the roster. After winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup last month, the USSF let most veterans players return to their MLS teams or take breaks before the start of the European club season.

"We like for the continent's most important competition to be respected with the best players," CONMEBOL general secretary Eduardo Deluca told The Associated Press. He said the USSF decision "doesn't please us."

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Uruguay crushed Venezuela's Copa America dream as it marched into the semifinals with a 4-1 demolition of the hosts on Saturday.

Diego Forlan grabbed a brace, while Pablo Garcia and Cristian Rodriguez were also on target in the last eight encounter as Oscar Tabarez's men gatecrashed the party of 40,000 people packed into San Cristobal's Pueblo Nuevo stadium.

The result came as even more of a surprise given the fact the two sides had played out a goalless draw just four days earlier and Uruguay had scored only one goal in finishing third in Group A.


The 'Celestes'dominated much of the first half and created several chances. Pablo Garciawas first to test goalkeeper Ronnie Vega with a long-range effort before Maximiliano Pereiradrew a good save from the Venezuelan stopper.

The hosts then threatened through Ricardo Paez, but the midfielder's attempt went straight into the hands ofFabian Carinibefore strikerJuan Arangosent a header narrowly wide.

However, Forlan opened the scoring after 37 minutes, when he was picked out by Diego Garcia in the box and beat Vega with a powerful strike.

But Venezuela hit back almost immediately as, three minutes later, Mallorca star Arango found the back of the net with a superb free kick to send the sides in level at the break.

Carini was then forced to produce a good stop to deny Arango just 30 seconds after halftime as Venezuela started on the front foot before Uruguay re-established control.

And it regained the lead at 65 minutes, when some superb interplay between Pablo Garcia and Alvaro Recoba ended with the former producing a precise finish that nestled into the bottom right corner of the net.

Venezuela tried to find a response but was unable to threaten its opponent's goal before Tabarez's side extinguished its hopes in the final four minutes.

A swift counterattack saw Rodriguez claim Uruguay's third goal. Forlan added insult to injury in stoppage time as the Atletico Madrid pounced on a loose ball to make it 4-1.

Uruguay will next face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Brazil and Chile for a place in the final.

[abadani69]

Uruguay reached the Copa America semifinals by routing host Venezuela 4-1 on Saturday.

Uruguay had reached the quarterfinals after scoring just one goal -- the lowest of any team -- in its first three matches.

"We didn't play well in the first round and some thought we'd end up a disaster, going home early, but here we are with a strong chance of reaching the finals," Uruguay forward Cristian Rodriguez said.

Uruguay will play Brazil, a 6-1 winner over Chile on Saturday at Puerto La Cruz, in a semifinal matchup Tuesday.

After misfiring on two early open shots, striker Diego Forlan one-touched Andres Scotti's free kick into the net for the first of his two goals in the 38th minute.

Three minutes later, Venezuela tied it when Juan Arango's free kick went past diving goalkeeper Fabian Carini.

Pablo Garcia drove a shot into the right corner of the net to make it 2-1 in the 65th minute.

Rodriguez scored Uruguay's third goal past goalkeeper Renny Vega in the 87th minute, and Forlan's second goal came in injury time.

Robinho scored twice for Brazil, which netted three goals in an 11-minute span of the first half.

Robinho, who plays for Spain's Real Madrid, put the five-time World Cup champions ahead 3-0 off a shot from the center of the half-circle at 27 minutes. He then scored his tournament-best sixth at the start of the second half, before being substituted by Alfonso at the 64th minute.

[abadani69]

تيم*هاي برزيل و اروگوئه به مرحله نيمه نهايي مسابقات فوتبال قهرماني آمريكاي جنوبي / كوپا آمريكا/ راه يافتند.

به گزارش خبرگزاري فرانسه از پوئبلو نوئوو - ونزوئلا ، از مرحله يك چهارم نهايي اين مسابقات بامداد امروز يكشنبه دو ديدار برگزار شد و در آن تيم*هاي برزيل و اروگوئه با پيروزي مقابل تيم*هاي شيلي و ونزوئلا گام به مرحله نيمه نهايي گذاشتند.

تيم برزيل در ديدار با تيم شيلي با نتيجه ۶بر يك به برتري رسيد.

" خوان " در دقيقه " ، ۱۶باپتيستا " " ، ۲۴روبينيو " ۲۸و ۵۱ ، " خوزه " ۶۹و " واگنر لاو " ۸۵براي تيم برزيل گل زدند و " سوازو " با گل دقيقه ۷۶خود يكي از گل*هاي خورده تيم شيلي را جبران كرد.

در ديگر ديدار امروز تيم اروگوئه در ديدار با تيم ونزوئلا ميزبان اين رقابت*ها با نتيجه ۴بر يك به پيروزي دست يافت.

" فورلان " در دقايق ۳۹و " ، ۹۰گارسيا " " ، ۶۵رودريگوئز " ۸۷ براي اروگوئه و " آرانگو " ۴۱براي تيم ونزوئلا گلزني كردند.

[abadani69]

Mexico cruised to a 6-0 rout of a 10-man Paraguay squad to cruise into the semifinals of the Copa America on Sunday.

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 against either Argentina or Peru.

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.