The Copa America Centenario continued to provide great entertainment, even as most of the football world's focus was on Euro 2016. On Wednesday, as many as nine goals were scored in just two matches – Chile vs Panama and Argentina vs Bolivia.
Chile beat Panama 4-2 in a goal feast in Philadelphia, thanks to two each for Alexis Sanchez and Claudio Bravo. However, that was not before Panama gave the 2015 Copa America champions a scare by opening the scoring early.
Chile soon got the game under control and were leading 3-1 in the second half when Panama scored again. But Sanchez calmed the Chilean fans' nerves by putting the game out of Panama's reach towards the end of the 90 minutes.
The win means that Chile will play Mexico in the quarter-finals, while Panama were knocked out.
Over in Seattle, favourites Argentina thumped Bolivia 3-0 to end the group stage without dropping a single point. All three goals were scored in the first half, by Erik Lamela, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Victor Cuesta.
With a win secured, Argentina brought on Lionel Messi in the second half, who has missed much of the tournament so far because of a back injury and his tax fraud trial in Barcelona. Messi did not score, to the disappointment of the spectators, but got a good run and Argentina will hope he's fit and raring to go during the business end of the tournament.
Argentina, who are looking for their first major international title after winning the Copa America in 1993, will face Venezuela in the quarter-finals.
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