Sports Desk : Argentina ensured their place in the quarter-finals of the Copa America on Monday when they beat Paraguay 1-0 in a game notable for Lionel Messi`s record-equalling 147th appearance for the national side.

Alejandro Gomez got the only goal of the game after 10 minutes when he took a delightful pass from Angel Di Maria and dinked the ball over the diving keeper.

Paraguay pressed throughout the second half but came up against a resolute Argentine defence and could not turn their possession into chances.

Argentina`s win gives them seven points from three games and leaves them top of Group A, two points ahead of Chile, four ahead of Paraguay and six ahead of Uruguay.