Mexico, 4 Others Advance in Copa America Soccer

Colombia tied Argentina, 1-1, on Wednesday night to win its preliminary group at the Copa America.

Mexico, playing in the South American soccer championship for the first time, held Bolivia to a 0-0 tie earlier in Portoviejo and qualified for the quarterfinals, along with Colombia and Argentina.

Ecuador and Uruguay also have advanced from Group A, meaning five of the eight spots have been filled for the next round. The remaining three berths will be decided today in Cuenca, where Chile meets Peru and Brazil faces Paraguay.

Colombia and Argentina had clinched spots before their game. Each finished with four points each in Group C, but Colombia had the better goal differential.

Diego Simeone put Argentina ahead in the second minute when Colombian goalkeeper Oscar Cordoba lost a ball he should have controlled. Two minutes later, Freddy Rincon tied it with an excellent move inside the penalty area. Argentina’s Fernando Redondo and Colombia’s Rincon were ejected in the 49th minute for pushing each other. Both will miss the quarterfinals.

Colombia will play Uruguay on Saturday. On Sunday, Argentina will meet the second-place team in Group B--Chile, Paraguay, Brazil or Peru. The United States has already been eliminated.