Here’s the match report of Messi’s magic:
OK, we’re going to wrap this up now. Thanks for reading. All that’s left now is to luxuriate in Messi’s majesty. Goodnight!
The free kick was Messi was brilliant – but it might not have been as good as the one from Jhasmani Campos in the Bolivia-Chile game. That was seriously impressive. But poor old Bolivia – they conceded a 98th-minute penalty, and lost 2-1.
So Argentina surge into the knockout stages after two wins from two. Panama and Chile are level on three points, but Panama must win to join Argentina, such is their negative goal difference.
Well, Lionel Messi played less than half an hour – and he scored three goals and created one more. Brilliant, brilliant play from the best player in the world, and Argentina looked a different, and even more dangerous, team with him in. Panama did pretty well for about 60 minutes, but they crumbled badly – it didn’t help that they were forced to play with 10 men for an hour. But tonight was all about Messi. He’s good, isn’t he?
Full-time: Argentina 5-0 Panama
That’s the whistle.
90 min + 1: Two minutes of stoppage time, and Panama look done in.
90 min: Brilliant, effortless long-range pass from Messi, to find Rojo at the back post, who headed back across goal – and Aguero prodded home from five yards.
GOAL! Argentina 5-0 Panama (Aguero 89)
It’s five! Aguero’s 33rd international goal!
89 min: This is pretty rough on Panama. And it could get worse – still a few minutes left.
88 min: He’s just phenomenal, isn’t he? Panama gave it away, and Messi was quickly on to it: he held off Baloy, checked inside, and bent a curling shot past Penedo from about 15 yards. Pretty similar to his first goal – Penedo had no chance. What a star he is. A total genius. Messi!
GOAL! Argentina 4-0 Panama (Messi 87)
This is too much. Messi again – and that’s his hat-trick!
85 min: Panama clear, and break quickly, but Banega comes across to stop the counter-attack. That should have been a yellow card; it wasn’t one.
84 min: Aguero has the ball in the net! But it’s ruled offside. Correctly – he had gone half a second too early. Panama are struggling to keep their heads above water here. Now a corner to Argentina.
81 min: Argentina look in the mood for more goals. And now Messi can sniff a hat-trick. That’s 52 international goals, now, for Messi – he’s chasing down Gabriel Batistuta’s record of 56.
79 min: Lionel Messi: what can you say about him?! Such a fabulous strike: up and over the wall, with pace and bend and dip – Penedo dived full length, but couldn’t keep it out. An outstanding free kick: one to catch on the highlights. He’s back, baby!
GOAL! Argentina 3-0 Panama (Messi 78)
That’s a brilliant free kick! What a goal!
77 min: Free kick to Argentina 25 yards out. This is Messi territory.
75 min: Change for Panama: Luis Tejada on for Blas Perez. That was so gormless from Quintero, by the way – all he had to do was feed Cooper, and he was clean through! Duh. Now a change for Argentina: Higuain off, Aguero on. And a final one for Panama: Cooper is replaced by Arroyo.
74 min: Oh, Quintero! Argentina committed too many players forward, and suddenly Panama broke, with a two on one! Quintero had it, and Cooper was totally free to his left, but Quintero went alone, and showed too much of it to Mascherano! That was a huge opportunity: what a waste. That should have been 2-1.
72 min: It might have been handball on Higuain, but the finish from Messi was sublime. You just knew he was going to score. I think Penedo probably knew it too.
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71 min: Great effort from Banega! Thirty yards out, he fizzed one towards goal, and Penedo was worried. Just over the bar.
69 min: He’s only been on the pitch for about eight minutes, but Lionel Messi has made his mark! Panama couldn’t clear, and Henriquez smacked it against Higuain, but it fell perfectly for Messi, all alone, 15 yards out, and he just passed it beyond Penedo. Lovely finish, but Panama might be a touch unlucky there: that looked like handball against Higuain.
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GOAL! Argentina 2-0 Panama (Messi 68)
Ha. Wouldn’t you just know it. Messi!
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66 min: Panama are still in this game, but they’re being tested by Argentina’s attack. They haven’t really got out of their own half since the break.
Another yellow: this time for a late Gaitan tackle on Henriquez.
65 min: I should also have mentioned that Messi has taken the captain’s armband from Mascherano. And Lamela with a chance! Banega lifted it into the box, Lamela ran beyond the defence, but he couldn’t control the pass! He was clear – that was a chance.
63 min: Messi just feeling his way into the game, but Argentina have definitely perked up. The crowd is noticeably louder, too.
Lionel Messi is on!
61 min: To replace Augusto Fernandez. And the crowd goes wild.
60 min: It’s opening up, this game. Argentina corner, and Banega takes, but it’s disappointing, and easily cleared.
59 min: Now a corner up the other end. Baloy and Miller come forward. And Perez! What a great ball in from Camargo, across the six-yard box, and Perez went in with Otamendi, but the whistle had gone for a foul. Ooh: Lionel Messi is imminent!
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58 min: More pushing, and another Panama free kick.
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57 min: Argentina are on top here, and it’s another corner. Lamela takes, and Perez concedes another corner.
55 min: Pushing in the six-yard box, and a Panama free kick.
54 min: Panama haven’t attacked much this second half. Argentina have emerged with far greater purpose since the break – and what a chance for Higuain! He got away from the centre-backs, but took an extra touch, and Miller got back to block! Corner for Argentina, but it should have been 2-0.
52 min: Gaitan drifts inside and fires just over from a ricochet, but the flag was up for offside.
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51 min: Banega thrashes one from distance, but Penedo gets behind it, and saves comfortably. Gaitan wanted a free kick, actually, but the ref said play on. Maybe Argentina would have preferred the shooting chance from the dead ball.
50 min: Argentina win a corner, and Gaitan swings it in – the first ball is cleared, and then Panama do enough to get rid of the second ball, too.
49 min: Oh, almost an own goal! I think it was Baloy, facing his own goal, who got his clearance wrong, but a grateful Penedo was on hand to dive on it. Nervy moments at the back for Panama.
47 min: And we start where we left off, as Cooper is yellow carded for a late challenge on Gaitan. It’s not quite Portugal-Holland in 2006, but give it time:
We're back!
46 min: Argentina get us going again. No changes from either side.
The players are back out. No sign of Messi just yet.
Oh, I just saw the second yellow for Godoy. It was clear: he slapped Gaitan in the side of the head, off the ball. What a dumb play!
If you like basketball, it’s half-time in Game 3 of the NBA finals. Follow it here!
A strange half. Argentina raced out of the blocks, went ahead early, and looked to be well in control, but Panama battled gamely, found a foothold, and were just getting on terms when Godoy had a brain freeze and got himself sent off. A shame for Panama, because they’d done well, but even after the red card, Argentina didn’t quite find their rhythm. At 1-0, Panama are still in this, although it’s hard to see them coming back from a two-goal deficit.
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Half-time: Argentina 1-0 Panama
That’s the whistle.
45 min + 2: Eek, panic stations for Panama at the back: Higuain spun into the channel, and tried to cross, and though Baloy stopped the initial effort, he made a hash of his second attempt to clear, and Machado had to bail him out with Penedo off limits. That was close.
45 min: Two minutes stoppage time. It’s important for Panama to get through to the break without conceding another.
44 min: Stuart Holden, who is fast becoming an excellent analyst, makes a salient point: apart from the goal, Penedo hasn’t had that much to do. It’s been pretty even, really, and Panama have done well. Just a shame about the red. As JR points out, Godoy did look somewhat chagrined as he traipsed off the field.
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43 min: Cooper is down momentarily for Panama, but he’ll be OK. Maybe just a chance to take a breather.
Paul Browning isn’t impressed with the simulation: “Er, maybe the sendings off are correlated to the shenanigans. Shocking display of theatrics in these games so far.”
42 min: Penedo out quickly to stop Gaitan. Now the change: Lamela is on, and Di Maria goes down the tunnel.
41 min: The crowd wants Messi, but it looks as though Lamela is the likely replacement. Di Maria has just gone to the touchline – Argentina playing with 10 at the moment.
40 min: Now Di Maria is down! Oh, he’s asking to come off. Another injury!
Here’s JR again: “I have no idea what Godoy was thinking, but he intentionally jammed his arm into Gaitan’s face for no reason. They re-showed it several times. For me it was a clear yellow.”
38 min: Higuain looks to get on the end of a quickly taken direct free kick, but Penedo is smartly out to claim.
36 min: Another whistle, this time for a foul on Quintero. We can only hope Godoy’s dismissal doesn’t lead to a mismatch – Panama were just growing into the game, and Argentina had hardly displayed superiority. Oh well. On we go.
34 min: I’d love to see that Godoy incident on replay. Was it really that bad? The threshold for bookings in this competition has been pretty low. Too many minor offences being punished harshly, in my stupid opinion.
33 min: Panama are really up against it now. Quintero goes down the left, and burns Mercado, but runs out of pitch, and it’s behind for a goal kick.
31 min: Well, that might just be the game. Godoy, who was already on a yellow, extended his arm into the head of Gaitan, I think it was, and Joel Aguilar brandished a second booking. Godoy put his head in his hands immediately – there was no real complaint. What a disappointment.
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RED CARD! (Godoy, Panama 32)
30 min: Oh boy. Another sending off. It’s spoiling this tournament.
28 min: Driven in by Camargo, and Romero has to be alert to keep it out! Corner. It comes to nothing, but that was a good save from Romero: that could have gone anywhere. Great ball in from the substitute.
27 min: Argentina turn it over, Quintero streaks clear, and Mercado stops him in clumsy fashion. Quintero wants a yellow, but it’s not forthcoming. Still, a chance to send the big lads forward.
25 min: Panama beginning to put together some passes in the attacking third. You could make an argument that Panama are Concacaf’s third best team right now, considering the rather less than stellar displays of Jamaica and Costa Rica in this tournament. But then they might end up losing this game 6-0, so don’t take any notice of what I say.
23 min: Panama deal with this set piece rather better, but the quality is so good on those crosses that Argentina look a real threat from the dead ball.
22 min: I think Baloy was also booked for his part in that set-to with Mascherano. I guess he kind of led with his face, but he didn’t make contact with Mascherano. But now Baloy must be careful. Now Godoy is booked; that’s five yellows already. Steady, boys!
20 min: Much better spell from Panama, this, and Quintero hits one from 20 yards after good work from the substitute Camargo, but it’s comfortable for Romero.
19 min: This doesn’t look good for Pimentel. He tried to get on the end of a free-kick, and looked as though he hyper-extended his knee. This looks serious, and he’s stretchered off. Panama make the change immediately, and Camargo is on.
17 min: Momentary confrontation between Perez and Mascherano, which is silly – and then Mascherano is booked for diving! He went nose to nose with Baloy, and then fell back on the floor – but Baloy didn’t touch him. Ludicrous from Mascherano, and he’s rightly carded. It’s been a fiery start.
15 min: Fernandez, of Atléti, is late on Pimentel, and is booked. Panama have just begun to settle down. Perez finds a pocket of space, and shoots, but his effort is blocked.
13 min: Oh, Perez was nearly on to it! Played in low, and Argentina didn’t really deal with it, but Perez couldn’t quite react in time. Now Perez again! His touch was poor, and it ran away from him in the six-yard box. He’s been prominent in these early moments.
12 min: Quintero runs at Mercado, and does well to force a throw-in right by the corner flag. Now Henriquez surges into the box, and it’s a corner.
11 min: Panama could do with a spell of possession. They’ve been under the cosh.
10 min: Panama clear their lines. Just going back to the goal, the marking was slack, but Perez should take some blame: it was a totally needless foul on Mascherano, and it gave Argentina the chance to get the ball in the box. At 35, Perez should know better.
Here’s JR in Illinois: “If Argentina fall behind I’m a little worried they might not have enough firepower to come off the bench to try to right things. They’ve only got Messi, Aguero, Lavezzi, Lamela, and Pastore. Looks a little thin to me.”
9 min: Now Higuain works Penedo, who has to get across smartly to turn it round the post. Argentina can’t make it count from the corner, though.
8 min: So routine. Di Maria swept it in from the left side, Otamendi got free of his marker, craned his neck to get up high, and headed past Penedo! Where was the Panama defence?
GOAL! Argentina 1-0 Panama (Otamendi 7)
From the free kick! Argentina lead!
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6 min: Blas Perez is late on Javier Mascherano, is that’s an early booking for the Panama striker. Totally needless foul, but was it that bad? Free kick 40 yards out.
5 min: Perez is back up. He forced a corner on that play, and Baloy is nearly in at the back post! It was flicked on, and Baloy got free of Otamendi, but then the whistle blew for a non-existent foul. Free kick Argentina.
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4 min: Mercado is back up; he’ll be OK to continue. Now Panama with a little foray of their own, and Blas Perez is down! They’re dropping like flies.
2 min: And immediately Argentina win a corner on the left side. Banega takes it short to Gaitan, who fires it in, but Higuain is whistled for foul in the box. That was a wrestling match in there. And now Mercado is down. It’s all going off!
And we're off!
1 min: Argentina in blue and white; Panama in red. Panama get us under way, and Joel Aguilar, from El Salvador, is your referee.
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Anthems done. No “human error” this time. Let’s play!
Actually, it looks more than reasonably full. Other than the top tier on one side of the pitch, which is not open, I’d say it’s pretty much a full house. What does that say about the USA-Costa Rica attendance?
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The teams are walking out on to the pitch. Soldier Field looks reasonably full.
Messi starts on the bench!
Argentina go with the same side that beat Chile.
Argentina: Romero, Mercado, Rojo, Funes Mori, Otamendi, Mascherano, Fernandez, Mascherano, Banega, Gaitan, Higuain.
Panama: Penedo, Machado, Baloy, Miller, Henriquez, Gomez, Godoy, Pimentel, Quintero, Cooper, Perez.
All of which means that Bolivia would be eliminated if Argentina win or draw. Chile move level on points with Panama.
The Chile-Bolivia game has just finished – and what a finish. Chile went ahead, Bolivia equalised through an absolute screamer from a Jhasmani Campos free-kick, and then conceded from a 98th-minute penalty for handball! Arturo Vidal smashed the penalty home, and Chile won 2-1, but it looked a extremely soft call against Gutierrez. Heartbreak for Bolivia!
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Hello and welcome
He’s back! The world’s best player is fit, healthy, and not in court in Spain any longer, which means everyone else in this Copa America should watch out. Argentina welcome back Lionel Messi to play Panama at Soldier Field tonight, and after their 2-1 win over Chile in their opening match, victory would take Tata Martino’s side into the knockout stages, and a probable quarter-final with Venezuela. Panama are no mugs, and won their first ever Copa America match at their first attempt on Monday, but Argentina are ludicrously well stocked, dripping in quality, and are hungry to end a 23-year Copa drought: if they don’t win this competition, I’ll eat my hat.
Kick off is listed at 9.30pm ET, but they’re never on time when it comes to soccer in the US, so it’s probably more like 9.40. Join us!
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Tim will be here shortly. In the meantime, read why Luis Suarez was upset last night:
Suárez, who had missed the first game through injury, lost his temper and threw one of his boots on to the pitch after he was told he would not play a part in the game. Suárez had been seen warming up on the sidelines in the second-half despite not being named as a substitute or in the starting eleven.
“There is no situation. The situation is what I told you [on Wednesday]. The player is not ready to play,” said the Uruguay coach, Óscar Tabárez. “This is an issue about numbers and doctors. Even if the player is upset, I’m not going to play a player who is not 100%. If he got upset, that is something I was not aware of. He didn’t tell me anything.”
Suárez was involved in another fit of temper at the 2014 World Cup, when he bit the Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini. The striker was banned from football for four months over the incident.
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