FOXBORO, Mass. — The quarterfinals of Copa America 2016 resume Saturday night at Gillette Stadium with an excellent matchup between Argentina and Venezuela.
The winner moves to the semifinals and will play the United States.
Lionel Messi, arguably the world’s best player, will make his first start of the tournament. The talented forward played in just 75 of a possible 270 minutes during the group stage, yet he still managed to lead all players with three goals.
Keep it right here for score updates, highlights and analysis from Argentina vs. Venezuela.
FINAL, 4-1 ArgentinaÂ
Argentina advances to the semifinal and will play the United States.
90th minute, 4-1 Argentina: We’ll have two minutes of stoppage time.
85th minute, 4-1 Argentina: Another sub for Venezuela.
Sub for @SeleVinotinto in the 85' – José Manuel Velázquez in for Tomás Rincón #ARGvVEN #Copa100 #CopaAmerica
— CONMEBOL Copa AmĂ©rica™️ (@CopaAmerica) June 19, 2016
80th minute, 4-1 Argentina: A couple more subs.
Subs in the 80' #ARGvVEN@SeleVinotinto: Yonathan Del Valle in for Josef MartĂnez@Argentina: Lucas Biglia in for Ever Banega#Copa100
— CONMEBOL Copa AmĂ©rica™️ (@CopaAmerica) June 19, 2016
77th minute, 4-1 Argentina: A great crowd in Foxboro tonight.
59,183 in attendance at Gillette. #CopaAmerica
— Nicholas W. Goss (@NickGossNBCSB) June 19, 2016
Also, another yellow card for Venezuela.
#Yellowcard for @SeleVinotinto's @salorondon23 in the 77' #ARGvVEN #Copa100 #CopaAmerica
— CONMEBOL Copa AmĂ©rica™️ (@CopaAmerica) June 19, 2016
73rd minute, 4-1 Argentina: Sergio Aguero replaces Gonzalo Higuain, who scored the first two goals.
70th minute, 4-1 Argentina: It took less than a minute for Argentina to answer. Erik Lamela, who just came on a few minutes ago, scores inside the penalty box. The Venezuelan goalkeeper should’ve saved it, or at least made a better attempt.
https://twitter.com/barcastuff/status/744330255033307137
69th minute, 3-1 Argentina: West Brom’s Salomon Rondon scores on a header to get one back for Venezuela.
67th minute, 3-0 Argentina: Tottenham’s Erik Lamela has entered the game.
Sub for @Argentina – Erik Lamela in for Nicolás Gaitán in the 67' #ARGvVEN #Copa100 #CopaAmerica
— CONMEBOL Copa AmĂ©rica™️ (@CopaAmerica) June 19, 2016
63rd minute, 3-0 Argentina: Another yellow for Venezuela.
#Yellowcard for @SeleVinotinto's ArquĂmedes Figuera in the 63' #ARGvVEN #Copa100 #CopaAmerica
— CONMEBOL Copa AmĂ©rica™️ (@CopaAmerica) June 19, 2016
60th minute, 3-0 Argentina: Lionel Messi finishes a fantastic passing sequence with his fourth goal of the tournament.
Leo Messi moves level with Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer. #ARGvVEN #MyCopaColors https://t.co/gKnUDYVtDG
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/barcastuff/status/744326049446637568
55th minute, 2-0 Argentina: Argentina’s Gabriel Mercado nearly scores on a header off a cross into the penalty box.
Also, a substitution.
Sub for @SeleVinotinto: Juan Pablo Añor in for Luis Manuel Seijas in the 55' #ARGvVEN #Copa100 #CopaAmerica
— CONMEBOL Copa AmĂ©rica™️ (@CopaAmerica) June 19, 2016
52nd minute, 2-0 Argentina: Lionel Messi skips past a Venezuelan defender along the sideline and Wilker Angel comes over and takes him out, getting a yellow card in the process.
46th minute, 2-0 Argentina: Play has resumed!
Halftime, 2-0 Argentina.Â
🇦🇷 vs 🇻🇪
Shots: 6 – 6
Possession: 56% – 44%
Completed Passes: 173 – 122
Pass Accuracy: 88% – 85%#ARGvVEN— CONMEBOL Copa AmĂ©rica™️ (@CopaAmerica) June 19, 2016
43rd minute, 2-0 Argentina: Venezuela’s penalty attempt by Luis Manuel Seijas was a soft lob shot right down the middle and at Romero, who was not fooled. A pretty horrible attempt to say the least.
Is this the worst Panenka penalty attempt ever? #ARGvVEN #MyCopaColors https://t.co/YGzpgwJ31u
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 19, 2016
43rd minute, 2-0 Argentina: Romero takes out a Venezuelan player and gives away a penalty. He’s lucky to escape a card, too.
40th minute, 2-0 Argentina: Rolf Feltscher’s shot takes a deflection and Romero punches the ball over the crossbar at the last second. Nearly a goal for Venezuela.
tfw you think you scored and you definitely didn't score https://t.co/LJPnSmex1e
— SB Nation Soccer (@SBNationSoccer) June 18, 2016
40th minute, 2-0 Argentina: Venezuela nearly scores off a corner kick but the header on goal hits the left post.
35th minute, 2-0 Argentina: Argentina goalkeeper Romero makes a great diving save to his right to save a goal.
28th minute, 2-0 Argentina: Gonzalo Higuain scores again, this time on a breakaway. He took a bad giveaway and moved past the goalkeeper, then finished into the open net.
Gonzalo Higuain's second of the night inside 30 minutes gives Argentina a 2-goal cushion. #ARGvVEN #MyCopaColors https://t.co/C1Vy4EZm2W
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 18, 2016
Another interesting stat.
2 – In just 28 minutes, @G_Higuain scored twice as many goals as Venezuela had conceded in their first three matches total. Explosive.
— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) June 18, 2016
26th minute, 1-0 Argentina:Â Nicolas Gaitan picks up a yellow card and he’ll miss the semifinal (if Argentina advances). It’s great news for USA.
22nd minute, 1-0 Argentina: Lionel Messi got crushed from behind in the box and no penalty is called, to the shock of the crowd.
17th minute, 1-0 Argentina: A new record for Lionel Messi.
That was #Messi's 8th assist in #CopaAmerica – the most of any player all-time. #ARGvVEN #Copa100 #CopaAmerica pic.twitter.com/xtdaX0D6PV
— CONMEBOL Copa AmĂ©rica™️ (@CopaAmerica) June 18, 2016
15th minute, 1-0 Argentina: Interesting stat.
https://twitter.com/barcastuff/status/744308980365787137
8th minute, 1-0 Argentina: Gonzalo Higuain scores on a volley off an exquisite pass by Lionel Messi.
Gonzalo Higuain opened the scoring early after a peach of a ball from Leo Messi đź‘€. #ARGvVEN #MyCopaColors https://t.co/bmtWfkSZ6M
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 18, 2016
8th minute, 0-0: Lionel Messi’s skills are too much for one defender to handle and Venezuela’s Luis Seijas comes over and trips the Argentina star, earning a yellow card in the process.
4th minute, 0-0: Lionel Messi dangles another defender and curves a left-footed shot just wide of the right post from 18 yards away. So close to a goal.
3rd minute, 0-0: Lionel Messi dangles past three players in the penalty area and sends a cross to the far post, which is caught by the Venezuelan goalkeeper.
1st minute, 0-0: We’re underway!
Last-minute change for Venezuela ahead of kickoff: Luis Seijas is in for Adalbert Penaranda. #ARGvVEN
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 18, 2016
6:53 p.m.: Argentina fans outside Gillette Stadium are having some fun at the expense of Brazil, whose club was knocked out in the group stage.
https://twitter.com/NickGossNESN/status/744302026096541696
6:46 p.m.: Will the streak continue?
.@Argentina hasn't lost in their last 13 #CopaAmerica games. #ARGvVEN #Copa100 pic.twitter.com/pB6umPuP1z
— CONMEBOL Copa AmĂ©rica™️ (@CopaAmerica) June 18, 2016
6:45 p.m.: Argentina scored the tournament’s most goals (10) during the group stage, and its plus-9 goal differential also led all teams.
6:35 p.m.: Starting lineups for both teams are listed below.
Venezuela: Hernandez; Feltscher, Angel, Vizcarrondo, Gonzalez; Penaranda, Rincon, Figuera, Guerra; Rondon, Martinez. #ARGvVEN #MyCopaColors
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 18, 2016
6:25 p.m. ET: Argentina and Venezuela have come onto the field for warmups. Messi receives a huge hand from the crowd as he leads Argentina out of the tunnel.
Thumbnail photo via Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports Images