Argentina forward Lionel Messi. (Photo : Getty Images)
World no. 1 Argentina (2-0-0, 6 points) will look to sweep the Group D competitions of the 2016 Copa América Centenario as they take on winless team Bolivia (0-2-0, 0 points) at the CenturyLink Field in Seattle on June 14, Tuesday.
Argentina, who have officially advanced in the knockout stage of the tournament, are so far undefeated and has dominated their first two opponents in the group stage as they nipped defending champions Chile, 2-1, in the opening round even as team captain and five-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi did not play because of back and rib problems.
In their second game last Friday, head coach Gerardo Martino's side pulled off a 5-0 annihilation of Gold Cup semifinalists Panama at the Soldier Field in Chicago with Messi returning from injury, as per USA Today.
The Barcelona forward was sensational during the match as he unleashed a hat trick at the 68th, 78th, and 87th minutes, leading the Argentinians' offensive charge.
He came off the bench at the 61st minute to replace Atletico Madrid's Augusto Fernandez while the team is ahead by one from an early seventh-minute goal by Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi.
Before the match, Martino said that his main man is "ready to go" against Panama and indeed he was not kidding. Messi's presence was immediately felt from the crowd's ovation to his re-energized teammates' play on the pitch as he got right back to work and scored three consecutive goals minutes later.
Meanwhile, Bolivia dropped a heartbreaking 1-2 decision to Chile in the day's other game at the Gillette Stadium Foxborough to be officially eliminated from contention in the next round, via ESPN.
After a goalless first half, midfielder Arturo Vidal broke the deadlock for La Roja one minute into the second half before La Verde winger Jhasmani Campos equalized it at the 61st.
The match looked headed into a 1-1 draw, but Vidal netted his second goal during stoppage time to ensure that head coach Julio Cesar Baldivieso's boys will remain winless in the group stage.
Bolivia is anticipated to be no match to Argentina in this final Group D matchday, but if Messi and some of the other stars decide to rest this one, then maybe they will have a slight chance to score a victory.
The predicted result is a 4-0 romp for Argentina.
Argentina starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Romero; Mercado, Otamendi, Funes Mori, Rojo; Fernandez, Mascherano; Gaitan, Banega, Di Maria; Higuaín
Bolivia starting lineup (5-4-1 formation): Lampe; Saavedra, Eguino, Zenteno, Gutierrez, Bejarano; Arce, Melean, Castro, Smedberg-Dalence; Duk
