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Lionel Messi

CONCEPCION. – Lionel Messi produced a scintillating individual performance as Argentina destroyed Paraguay 6-1 to reach the final of the Copa America here on Tuesday.

The Barcelona superstar tormented Paraguay mercilessly as the favourites produced their best display of the tournament and advanced to a showdown with Chile in Saturday’s final.

Although Messi failed to end his run of more than 900 minutes without an international goal from open play, he turned creator as Argentina tore Paraguay apart.

Goals from Angel Di Maria (2), Marcos Rojo, Javier Pastore, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain completed an emphatic rout for the South American giants.

A satisfied Messi was delighted Argentina’s potent collection of attacking talent finally appears to have clicked with Saturday’s final looming.

And as Messi has developed during his career, he has become an ever-more prolific provider of assists as well as a lethal goalscorer and he gave another wonderful display of creativity at the Copa America on Tuesday.

The Argentina forward, who has yet to find the net from open play in five games at the tournament in Chile, set up three goals for his team mates in a 6-1 drubbing of Paraguay that secured a clash against the hosts in Saturday’s final.

It was the first time Messi made three assists in a single game for his country and only the second time in his career after he achieved the feat playing for Barcelona in a King’s Cup match against Levante in January 2014.

The 28-year-old has 31 assists for club and country so far in 2014-15, two short of his record of 33 from 2011-12.

“It really doesn’t bother me that I am not scoring,” Messi told reporters after the match in Concepcion.

“Hopefully my goal will come in the final,” he added.

“The important thing is to lift the national team as high as possible and it doesn’t matter who gets the goals.”

Messi is attempting to win the Copa America to cap a superb season when he helped Barca win a treble of Champions League and domestic league and Cup titles.

He has bounced back in style from a disappointing 2013-14 campaign, when Barca failed to collect major silverware and Argentina were beaten 1-0 by Germany in the World Cup final. – AFP.