LIONEL MESSI helped his Argentina side into the Copa America final, becoming his country’s greatest ever goal scorer in the process.
In a typically all-round performance, the Barcelona man created two and scored one of his own in a genuinely superb display.
Ezequiel Lavezzi opened the scoring thanks to a Messi pass before the little wizard took centre stage.
Gonzalo Higuain even fired home a brace but could not wrestle the spotlight off one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.
The first goal the maestro made came from a set-piece pass with a whiff of genius.
On just three minutes he was up to his old tricks; A corner was rolled out away from goal, back to the diminutive master who looked unthreatening and unmarked away from the action.
As the ball whizzed out to him, and the USA defence rushed out to challenge the threat, he dinked a delicious ball up and over the crowd and onto the head of Lavezzi who nodded in.
The goal settled Argentina nerves and essentially sapped Jurgen Klinsmann’s side of any self-belief.
The South American’s kept the ball with ease, drawing out fouls and creating chances at will.
On 32 minutes, Argentina had their second goal and their talisman had his record.
His trademark left-foot free-kick flew into the top corner – without ever looking like it might be heading anywhere else – and with international goal 55 he had outgunned national hero Gabriel Batistuta.
After the interval – a period in which former Tottenham man Klinsmann might have been able to revitalise his failing side – the hosts took another dagger to their dreams.
Higuain was released with minimal marking around him and, though he came up short with his first effort, he bundled the ball in on his second attempt to create a three-goal cushion
America did not register a single shot of purpose all match as Argentina dictated every aspect of the match.
The only negative for Gerardo Martino’s side was seeing Lavezzi flip backwards over an advertising board mid-header and land awkwardly before being immediately subbed late on.
But the victors got to dedicate a goal to the injured Lavezzi when Messi once again out-witted everyone on the pitch and selflessly chose to pass to Higuain to round off the match with a tap-in.
It was a complete performance from Messi and his team-mates who not only attacked with style and venom but defended with grit and steele.
The winners controlled the match with 67 per cent of possession and US midfielder Michael Bradley summed up the challenge his side was defeated by.
Bradley said: “The feeling is not a good one. We played against a very good team and they make you pay.”
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