(Reuters)- ARGENTINA and Chile advanced to the semi-finals of the Copa America on Saturday with Chile beating Mexico 7-0 and Lionel Messi getting a goal in Argentina’s 4-1 win over Venezuela to equal his country’s all-time scoring record.Messi scored in the 60th minute to take his career tally for Argentina to 54 goals, matching the record held by Gabriel Batistuta.
Argentina will now face the United States in the first semi-final on Tuesday in Houston.
Reigning champions Chile joined them in the last four after a 7-0 demolition of Mexico in Santa Clara.
Hoffenheim striker Eduardo Vargas scored four goals to help them set up a semi-final date with Colombia on Wednesday.
Messi won the Man-of-the-Match award in an action-packed game against underdogs Venezuela in Foxborough.
Argentina got off to the perfect start after just seven minutes when Gonzalo Higuain dived to turn a delicate cross from Messi past goalkeeper Dani Hernandez. He doubled 2-0 before Messi, put Argentina 3-0 ahead.
Venezuela were not out of it, though, and Rondon got the lightest of touches on a cross to head home and make it 3-1 after 70 minutes, but Erik Lamela, made it 4-1 for Argentina.
Chile were unstoppable in the other quarter-final in Santa Clara as they hammered a surprisingly fragile Mexico.
Edson Puch got his first international goal after 15 minutes when he fired home after keeper Guillermo Ochoa could only parry a long-range shot. Vargas got a second just before half time when he was first to pounce on a cross ball before Alexis Sanchez was involved in most of Chile’s great work and he made it 3-0 just three minutes into the second half.
Vargas returned to score two more to end his night with a helmet trick.