Copa America: Argentina 3 Costa Rica 0

A relieved Argentina booked their place in the Copa America quarter-finals with a 3-0 win over Costa Rica on Monday.

Two goals from Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero and one from Angel di Maria helped Sergio Batista’s side secure second place in Group A.

They will now meet the second-placed side in Group C – one of Chile, Uruguay or Peru – while Costa Rica could still progress in third if other results go their way.

Argentina came into the match in Cordoba under pressure after failing to win their opening two games of the tournament on home soil.

Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez, together with Ezequiel Lavezzi and Ever Banega, paid the price for the team’s failure to fire in the opening games by dropping to the bench.

Aguero and Real Madrid’s Di Maria and Fernando Gago came into the side at Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, a decision that bore dividends for Batista.

While the two men who ply their trade in the Spanish capital were the names on the score sheet, it was Barcelona star Lionel Messi – the scapegoat for Argentina’s toothless displays in their first two matches – who was the driving force in a comprehensive victory.

The diminutive forward had a hand in creating the numerous chances Argentina spurned in the first half, with Real Madrid centre-forward Higuain frequently culpable.

Struggling to gain possession and trapped in their own half for much of the opening exchanges, Costa Rica rode their luck and somehow looked set to reach the half-time break with the deadlock intact.

But a minute into first-half injury time, Gago struck a drive that Costa Rica goalkeeper Leonel Moreira was unable to hold, and Aguero was on hand to tuck home the rebound for 1-0.

It took Argentina just seven minutes of the second half to breach Costa Rica’s defences again, with a carefully measured Messi pass setting up Aguero, who duly guided the ball beyond Moreira.

And it was Messi again who could take much of the credit for the third, finding Di Maria in space for the former Benfica man to smash home at the near post.

The win represents a considerable improvement on the Argentina’s earlier displays, but Batista will need his side to produce again against tougher opponents in the last eight.