Argentina swamp Costa Rica, reach last eight

A reborn Argentina swamped Costa Rica 3-0 in Cordoba late Monday to reach the quarter-finals of the Copa America in style courtesy of a brace from Sergio Aguero and another from Angel Di Maria.

Aguero, on from the start with Carlos Tevez benched in a revamped forward line, netted seconds from half-time after the hosts had dominated the opening stages.

With Lionel Messi roaming just behind the main strikers, Aguero made the points safe with a second goal after the restart to take his tally at the event to a tournament-high three.

Di Maria then finished off the outclassed Ticos with the third just after the hour mark as Argentina joined Colombia, Chile, Peru and Venezuela in the quarters.

“Now another Copa America is starting – we more than anyone want the best for Argentina,” said Messi, thanking fans for getting behind a side they had brutally criticised prior to their final group game.

Coach Sergio Batista was under huge pressure to deliver a win and secure passage to the next round with the hosts seeking their first major trophy since 1993.

Where Messi in particular was concerned, the plan worked like a dream, as the Barcelona man was involved in almost every move, tearing Costa Rica’s defence to shreds with his incisive passing and weaving in and out.

Argentina laid siege to Leonel Moreira’s goalmouth from the outset, with Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain firing a snap shot well wide on the turn before Messi, having hit the woodwork with a free-kick, drove just over.

Aguero then drilled a low effort just past the post as the one-way traffic continued before Messi went off on a run down the right, only for Aguero to blast off target after taking his through pass.

But the dam had to burst and it finally did just before the interval.

Fernando Gago fired a drive goalwards which Moreira couldn’t hold and Aguero, following up, dinked the ball home.

The second half continued in the same vein and it was 2-0 on 53 minutes as Messi teed up another neat finish for Aguero.

And it was Messi again who set up the killer blow, sliding a perfectly-weighted pass through for Di Maria to blast home left-footed for a 3-0 lead without even breaking stride.

A 54,000 crowd – which included 1978 World Cup hero Mario Kempes, visiting a stadium named after him – gave Messi a huge ovation at the end as the Barca man and the team renewed their covenant with the delirious fans.