Argentina have booked their place in the final of the Copa America by demolishing Paraguay 6-1 in Concepcion this morning.
Goals fom Marcos Rojo and Javier Pastore put the Albiceleste in full control, but Lucas Barrios - who had earlier replaced the injured Roque Santa Cruz - threw Paraguay a lifeline just before the break.
However, Angel di Maria converted Pastore's inch-perfect pass early in the second half, before adding a fourth shortly after to effectively consign Ramon Diaz's men to at best a third-place finish.
There was time for Gerardo Martino's men to put gloss on the result, as Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain added to the rout with goals in the final 10 minutes.
Below, relive the mauling with our live text commentary.
Will the real Argentina please stand up? They've been defying logic and belief from day one of the Copa America- yet for all the wrong reasons. Considering they've got a bunch of players that makes The Avengers look like, say, Spurs, Gerardo Martino's side are yet to really arrive in Chile. They're limping when they should be gliding, and this morning they come up against a Paraguay side with the resilience and belief needed to expose the goal-shy Albiceleste once and for all. Excited? Me too.
Indeed, Argentina's squad - and their attacking options, in particular - reads like something of a dream team, but they're certainly not playing like one. They're about as underwhelming as opening a Christmas present to find a CD. This happened to me last year. You might as well got me a time machine as well mate. I'm not bitter. Where was I? Ah yes, Argentina.
Oddly enough, they drew 2-2 with Paraguay in their curtain raiser, before going on to beat Uruguay and Jamaica with two underwhelming 1-0 wins, before eliminating Colombia on penalties - following a 0-0 draw in regulation - to book their place here in Concepcion. It's understandable, then, that people are a little miffed as to why they've been so pony.
Having said that, they have reached the semi-finals, meaning that they're doing something right, but it's quite indicative of their form that they're not even favourites. Indeed, a squad with Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel di Maria, Carlos Tevez and Ezequiel Lavezzi aren't favourites to win this competition. All that talent yet they're scoring about as often as Peter Beardsley at the Playboy Mansion.
Of course, the favourites tag is reserved for Chile, who beat Peru 2-1 about 22 hours ago to move one step away from a first Copa America title. They await the winner of this one in Saturday's final. I know who my money is on if Argentina do get past Paraguay - which, by the way, is anything but a foregone conclusion, but we'll have a little look at them later. Let's bring you team news first.
ARGENTINA XI: Romero; Zabaleta, Rojo, Otamendi, Demichelis; Biglia, Mascherano, Pastore, Di Maria; Messi, Aguero
PARAGUAY XI: Villar, Valdez, Da Silva, Aguilar, Piris, Gonzalez, Caceres, Ortiz, Benitez, Valdez, Santa Cruz
We'll start with the Argies and just the one change for them, as Manchester City man Martin Demichelis comes in for Ezequiel Garay. Messi, whose one and only goal so far came in this fixture in the group stages, which was a penalty, and Aguero start up front.
Likewise, Mr Ramon Diaz makes just the one change to his side too, as Eduardo Aranda drops out of midfield for Richard Ortiz. Roque Santa Cruz leads the line, while Derlis Gonzalez, the hero against Brazil in the previous round, also starts in midfield.
It promises to be a sombre occasion for Gonzalez, for firstly struck a cracking a penalty to equalise against Brazil and ultimately forced a shootout, where his spot-kick sealed Paraguay's progression. However, in the midst of celebrating his nephew's heroics, Gonzalez's uncle died of a heart attack. You wonder what frame of mind he's in.
Anywho, Paraguay aren't to be trifled with. They were far and away the better side against Brazil, who were utterly toothless to be fair, but the belief within Los Guaraníes' camp has been growing since the opening day, having come back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Argentina. They also beat Jamaica 1-0, before drawing 1-1 with Uruguay to seal their possession to the knockouts.
They were finalists last time around in 2011 - then under Argentina boss Martino, oddly enough - and you wonder if they can go one better this year. It's a big ask, with Chile, on current form, far more of a threat than Argentina, but time will tell. It's been a tournament rife with incompotent refereeing, so if the decisions go their way who knows!
Both players doing the pre-match handshakes now. Minutes away!
KICKOFF! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we are off in Concepcion! Paraguay get us underway. I fancy them to push Argentina very, very close this morning. Time will tell if they can. Let's go.
Argentina bossing the possession stakes. They're passing it around very nicely, but they've always done that; the burning question is can they make the right passes in the right areas? I have my doubts.
Paraguay pressing really well, forcing Argentina into hurried passes, but they're also precise passes thus far, but Paraguay have the right idea so far. Not seen much of Messi yet.
CHANCE! Oh this is a chance, a big chance, and it falls to Paraguay, with Nelson Valdez's knock-down header finding Roque Santa Cruz on the edge of the box, but his first-time volley is dragged hopelessly wide. Should've been on target at the very, very least.
Apart from that chance a few minutes ago, the most interesting thing I've seen is a Pringles advertisement running around the perimeter of the field. Did you know Pringles were big in South America? I didn't. Then again, it's a world-class crisp. Is it a crisp? I'm digressing.
SHOT! Speaking of crisp, Pablo Zabaleta plays a wonderful cut-back pass to Angel di Maria, whose edge-of-the-box shot is straight at Justo Villar. It was on his weaker side, but still.
BOOKING: We've seen our first booking, and it's for Argentina as Marcos Rojo is given a yellow for a foul on Gonzalez. Incidentally, Aguero, Messi and Mascherano are one booking away from missing the final! They're walking a disciplinary tightrope.
BOOKING: Make that two bookings, as Lucas Biglia follows teammate Rojo into the book for dissent I think. That's now five Argentina players who are one yellow away from missing the final. That can't be good.
GOAL! Argentina 1-0 Parguay (Marcos Rojo)
Advantage Argentina in the race to Santiago for the final, as Messi's free kick isn't dealt with by Paraguay and the ball falls kindly for Rojo, who pokes past Villar with his left foot. It's a scrappy goal from a Paraguay perspective, but Argentina won't care. 1-0.
We haven't seen much of a response from Paraguay since falling behind as Argentina still look very, very comfortable. That early volley from Santa Cruz now looks a far bigger miss than it did initially.
CHANCE! It could, and should, be 2-0 to Argentina. It's absolutely brilliant from Messi, who holds the ball up really well before squaring to the overlapping Pastore but, with just Villar to beat, the PSG man fired straight at the Paraguay keeper. Ramon Diaz's side are living dangerously. All of the focus there was on stopping Messi, who was swarmed by red and white shirts.
Paraguay are temporarily down to 10 men as last week's hero Derlis Gonzalez receives treatment. It's a massive, massive blow if he has to go off.
Rojo has to be careful. He's just been beaten in a foot race by Bruno Valdez, who is bundled over in the box by the Manchester United man. It wasn't a foul, but you never now with these referees, and if he blew his whistle there then the already-booked defender was gone!
GOAL! Argentina 2-0 Paraguay (Javier Pastore)
Paraguay have gone 2-0 down against Argentina for the second time in this Copa America, as Pastore latches on to Messi's ball before lashing a low effort beyond the reach of Villar. Fine finish. Two assists for Messi.
SUB: Moments before that goal, Paraguay were forced to sub Derlis Gonzalez for Raul Bobadilla, and now captain and talisman Roque Santa Cruz looks to be heading off. What a dreadful half-hour it's been for Paraguay. Two goals and two key players down. Yep, Lucas Barrios is coming on.
BOOKING: Paraguay might be throwing the baby out with the bathwater here a little as Paolo Da Silva earns a yellow for coming through the back of Aguero just outside the area. You don't want to see Messi lining up a free kick from this distance. Ominous.
Messi's free kick is a poor one as his close-range free kick flies over the bar. So difficult to get it up and down, given the distance. The Barcelona man hasn't scored for Argentina in open play for over 13 hours - a barren spell that stretches back to November.
It has to be said that Argentina haven't been brilliant, but they have been clinical when they've needed to be and that's the story of this first 35 minutes or so. Another story has been the departures of Derlis Gonzalez and Roque Santa Cruz, who have both gone off injured to compound Paraguay's woes.
They've got their tails up now, as Angel di Maria plays a wonderfully weighted ball across the face of goal as Aguero looks poised to tap home a third, but Pedro Benitez clears the danger just in time.
Another Argentina free kick looms now, and this one is more Messi's territory. It's further out than the previous one, and it wouldn't surprise me if we see a third goal from this. Watch this space.
Another modest free kick from the Barcelona superstar, who looks to curl around the wall rather than strike over it, but his curling effort is well wide. He's been good tonight though Messi.
SHOT! Richard Ortiz has Paraguay's second shot of the game, but it's well, well wide. It did, however, take a deflection, but the corner came to nothing. This is easy for Argentina.
GOAL! Argentina 2-1 Paraguay
Holy smoke what are Argentina's defence playing at here? They're nowhere to be seen as Benitez's header acts as a through ball for Lucas Barrios, who fires past Sergio Romero to reduce the arrears at a perfect time. And we just said it was easy for Argentina! Well, it was, but a lapse of concentration has put the cat among the pigeons.
HALF TIME: Argentina 2-1 Paraguay
That's all she wrote in the first half, folks. Argentina led 2-0 thanks to goals from Rojo and Pastore in an opening 45 minutes that saw Paraguay lose Roque Santa Cruz and Derlis Gonzalez through injury, but Lucas Barrios, who replaced Santa Cruz, netted in the closing stages of utterly change the complexion of this semi-final in Concepcion.
All of a sudden, Paraguay are back in this! It was a really, really sloppy goal for Argentina to concede and Gerardo Martino will be fuming. Bear in mind that Paraguay came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with the Albiceleste in their opening game, but if history repeats itself then we'll go straight to penalties. Both sides won shootouts in the last round so, you know, they're not bad from the spot.
RESTAT: The players are back out on the field. Huge 45 minutes for Argentina. If they fail to progress from that two-goal advantage there'll be a barrage of criticism levelled at them.
GOAL! Argentina 3-1 Paraguay (Angel di Maria)
What a start to this half by Argentina, who restore their two-goal advantage. Javier Pastore, who doubled the lead, turned provider here with a perfectly weighted through ball for Di Maria, who showed Bruno Valdez a clean pair of heels before drilling into the corner of the net beyond Villar. Fine goal. They put one foot in the final.
I've just seen a full replay and it was a quite brilliant goal; plenty of one-touch passing in the build-up. Brilliant final pass and a brilliant finish. Well done them.
GOAL! Argentina 4-1 Paraguay (Di Maria)
Put a fork in it, my friends. It's brilliant from Messi again as the little man weaves his magic to set up Pastore, whose initial shot is saved by Villar, but Di Maria is on hand to tuck home the rebound. Incidentally, Paraguay's defence was out-numbered because one of them fouled Aguilar, their own player, when trying to stop Messi, who nutmegged him. Class, but there was so many gaps.
SUB: Paraguay make their third and final change as Oscar Romero replaces Nelson Valdez, but the game is surely beyond them now.
CLOSE! Very nearly a fifth! Messi is the architect again as his excellent ball finds Di Maria, whose low cross into the box looks like being slid home by one of Pastore or Aguero, but a Paraguay shirt, possibly Aguilar, got there just in time.
BOOKING: Richard Ortiz goes into the book for a foul on Aguero, who's been oddly quiet so far. Messi, Pastore and Di Maria all excellent.
If we're being honest, Chile vs. Argentina is the most appealing final, isn't it? It certainly looks like we're going to see just that, unless Paraguay, with no subs left, can do something truly miraculous. Problem is in order to do that they'll need to attack a lot more, and this Argentina team look hungry for capitalising on the massive gaps in Paraguay's defence. Catch 22.
I suppose Paraguay have done well to minimise the siege, but they're still not doing enough at the other end unfortunately. Argentina will win this - the only question is by how much? Three goals? Four? Five? I'm going four.
CHANCE! Eduardo Vargas staked his claim for goal of the tournament last night, but this might've beaten it. More magic from Messi as he somehow gets past Richard Ortiz, before playing in Pastore, who looks to shoot but instead plays a reverse pass to Messi, but the four-time Ballon d'Or winner couldn't beat Villar. All we're missing tonight is a Messi goal - and boy does he deserve one.
They're just toying with Paraguay now, who look immensely tired at this juncture. I can see Argentina getting a fifth.
We're 15 minutes to the end now and I take back what I said about seeing a fifth goal - I can't. Both sides just going through the motions now.
SUB: Fernando Gago replaces Javier Mascherano, who was one yellow away from missing the final. Smart sub, but Aguero and Messi are in the same boat. Don't be surprised if Argentina's last two subs are Aguero and Messi.
GOAL! Argentina 5-1 Paraguay (Sergio Aguero)
Another very decent goal. Aguero's movement is brilliant, as he nips into the box unmarked to head home Di Maria's teasing cross. They've been excellent tonight on the whole. This is the Argentina we've been waiting to see since the competition kicked off.
SUB: That was Aguero's last touch as the Man City man is replaced by Gonzalo Higuain. I'll tell you what - Higuain had a chance of starting the final because Aguero, prior to his goal, had spent 80 minutes on the periphery.
GOAL! Argentina 6-1 Paraguay (Gonzalo Higuain)
And he might yet start the final! Higuain blasts into the roof of Villar's net from close range after the bell kindly for him. Another assist for Messi. That's three for him. He's been different class tonight.
Incidentally, it's Justo Villar's 38th birthday. And he's conceded six times. That's just cruel init.
Paraguay have a decent opportunity to reduce the arrears with a free kick outside the box. Will they grab a consolation? Probably not but let's see.
FULL TIME: Argentina 6-1 Paraguay
That free kick was drilled straight at Sergio Romero and the whistle sounded moments later. Well, what a mauling that was. Argentina beat Paraguay 6-1 in Concepcion to send a huge statement of intent to Chile, who they meet in this weekend's final.
Rojo. Pastore. Di Maria. Di Maria again. Aguero. Higuain. They scored the goals, but the man behind the magic was Messi, who managed three assists. He was exceptional and what a time to record your best performance of the tournament. Chile won't have been scared of Argentina before this kicked off, but they'll be nervous now. The real Argentina have finally stood up. Bye for now folks!
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