"He knows that he's a game-changing player," Argentina coach Geraldo Martino said Saturday night after Messi scored a goal and added two assists to beat Venezuela 4-1. One well-placed entry pass later, the ball was in the net and Argentina was on its way to a Copa America semifinal matchup with the United States. For Venezuela, which finished fourth in the 2011 Copa America, it was a reminder of how far La Vinotinto have to go. The Barcelona star also took over the Copa America scoring lead with his fourth goal despite making his first start of the tournament. Messi made it 3-0 when he took a pass from Nicolas Gaitan just outside the 6-yard box.

Source: New Zealand Herald June 19, 2016 01:07 UTC