Argentina and Paraguay win cup ties

In the 45th minute, the midfielder scored from a free kick, bending the ball over the Colombian wall and into the right corner of the net.

 

Colombia’s Jaime Castrillon cut Argentina’s lead to one goal when he headed a Fabian Vargas corner kick into the Argentine goal in the 73rd minute.

 

The result was put beyond doubt when Diego Milito extended Argentina’s lead with a goal in stoppage time.

 

 

The defeat puts Colombia on the verge of elimination with one match remaining against the United States, who lost 3-1 against Paraguay.

 

Paraguay soared above the US to secure a quarter-final place [EPA]

Paraguay broke a 1-1 halftime deadlock with the US with two unanswered goals in the second half.

 

Paraguay opened their account in the 30th minute, when Cordozo’s pass between Jimmy Conrad and Sacha Kljestan found Edgar Barreto, who turned the ball past US goalkeeper Kasey Keller.

 

The US equalised 10 minutes later when Taylor Twellman Ricardo Clark, shot past a diving Justo Villar inside the near post.

 

After the break, Paraguay surprised the US when Oscar Cardozo scored against the run of play early in the half.

Salvador Cabanas secured Paraguay’s win with a free kick to the right post in injury time.

 

 

“Both teams had similar chances to convert but we were flawless,” said Gerardo Martino, Paraguay’s coach.

 

“It’s a little like what happened against Colombia, with more clear goal-scoring opportunities against us this time,” he said, referring to Paraguay’s previous 5-0 win.

 

The US’ loss leaves them on the edge of being eliminated from the Copa, with one group match left against Colombia.

The Americans will need a high-scoring win over Colombia, as well as other results to go their way, to have any chance of advancing to the knockout stages.

 

“We will know before we play our third game if we still have a chance to qualify,” Bob Bradley, US coach, said.

 

“And with some luck, hopefully our game with Colombia will still give us the opportunity to get three points and move on to the next round.”

 

The winners of Monday’s group C matches join Mexico and Venezuela, who have already secured their quarter-final places.