Mexico beats Paraguay, 6-0
Mexico took advantage of being a man up from the third minute to shut out Paraguay, 6-0, on Sunday to advance to the Copa America semifinals.
Paraguay lost goalkeeper Aldo Bobadilla when he was given a red card for a sliding tackle on Nery Castillo, setting up a penalty shot that the forward converted to the left of substitute Joel Zayas.
Zayas, Paraguay’s third-string goalkeeper, took the field in place of midfielder Jonathan Santana.
Mexico made it 2-0 on a driving shot from Gerardo Torrado in the 22nd minute. Castillo trapped a Juan Carlos Cacho pass with his chest and allowed one bounce before scoring in the 38th minute.
Fernando Arce made it 4-0 in the 78th minute. Cuauhtemoc Blanco hit a penalty in the 87th, and replacement Omar Bravo headed in Jamie Lozano’s pass in injury time to cap the scoring.
After losing to the U.S., 2-1, in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Mexico arrived in Venezuela missing key players -- including career leading scorer Jared Borgetti -- to injury. Despite that, Mexico finished undefeated atop Group B.
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Argentina used four second-half goals, including two by Juan Roman Riquelme, to beat Peru, 4-0. It will play Mexico in a semifinal match Wednesday.
Riquelme opened the scoring in the 47th minute as he muscled a left-footed shot past diving goalkeeper Leao Butron.
In the 61st minute, Riquelme sent a pass to Lionel Messi, who slipped the ball between Butron’s legs for a 2-0 lead.
In the 75th minute, Mascherano scored off a give-and-go by Messi and Carlos Tevez. Riquelme had his fourth goal of the tournament in the 85th minute.
Uruguay will face Brazil on Tuesday in the other semifinal.
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Schedule
All times Pacific:
SEMIFINALS
* Tuesday: at Maracaibo, Venezuela
Uruguay vs. Brazil, 5:45 p.m.
* Wednesday: at Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela
Mexico vs. Argentina, 5:45 p.m.
THIRD PLACE
* Saturday: at Caracas, Venezuela
Semifinal losers, 2 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP
* Sunday: at Maracaibo, Venezuela
Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.
