Kathmandu : Lionel Messi came off the bench to score a hat-trick in just 18 minutes on Friday as Argentina hammered Panama 5-0 and eased into the quarter-finals of the Copa America.


Defender Nicolas Otamendi had given Argentina a seventh-minute lead and after Panama's Anibal Godoy saw red just past the half-hour mark, Messi utilised his team's numerical advantage within eight minutes of his introduction in the 68th minute. Messi brought the crowd to their feet 10 minutes later with an exquisite free-kick and he completed his scoring three minutes from time for his 53rd international goal, moving to within three of the all-time record held by Gabriel Batistuta.


Back-to-back wins saw Argentina improve to six points, meaning the 14-time Copa winners cannot be eliminated as defending champions Chile and Panama sit three points adrift ahead of their final-game fixture.Argentina are now firmly on course to top Group D, with only one game against pointless Bolivia to come.