The controversial Copa America quarterfinals are now over. The games continue at empty stadiums throughout the country with four teams remaining. After a normal draw of 0-0, Argentina defeated Ecuador 3-0. Colombia had to use penalties to defeat Uruguay.ESPN takes a look back at the action from the oldest tournament international in the world.Copa America bracket schedule and fixturesStrange reunion for MessiHernan Galindez, a 34-year old Argentinean, has been Ecuador's first choice goalkeeper over the course this Copa America. He is the same age as Lionel Messi and comes from the same area. Galindez was a youth striker in football and proudly notes that Messi scored the first goal when he switched positions.He conceded the last goal, which was also scored by Messi. It was a stoppage-time free kick that flew past Messi from the area. This gave Saturday's quarterfinal a scoreline of 3-0. Perhaps this is not fair.In the 92 minute that had passed, Messi failed to beat Galindez. However, he did manage to see one shot rebound off the inside of his post. Messi was able to make the difference and take out Galindez with two fantastic passes. These goals decided an interesting game.Argentina did not have to overcome Galindez alone. Gustavo Alfaro from Ecuador, a calmly skilled organizer of counterattacking sidelines, was another Argentine coach. Alfaro's team made Argentina show their virtues and also highlighted some of their weaknesses.The circuit of midfield passing is Messi's greatest strength. Messi is well integrated and works well together with Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso, while Leandro Paredes organizes the first ball from defence. Ecuador tried to disrupt the circuit by pressing in midfield and protecting high. Argentina proved that they can also be more direct and hit long to Lautaro Martinez at centre-forward or moved the ball quickly behind Alfaro. This was how De Paul scored his first goal. Galindez was blocked by Messi's defensive line and had been drawn out.Lionel Messi was the one who pulled the strings for Argentina's victory over Ecuador in Saturday's Copa America quarterfinal. Alexandre Schneider/Getty ImagesArgentina had started off with a fast start. It was obvious that Ecuador's pace at the break would be a problem. Enner Valencia was close to scoring twice in the first period, but he didn't get enough contact with his header. Although Argentina has conceded only two goals in this tournament the defence of the center of the team does not inspire confidence. The second half also seems to be a drag because the team appears to have lost steam. Alfaro took notice of this and made attacking substitutions at each interval. He had the advantage for most of the second period. Lionel Scaloni, Argentina's coach, responded by tightening the central midfield with Guido Rodriguez. He also introduced Angel Di Maria wide to the right. This allowed for a change from 4-3-3 to a four-man line behind Messi and Martinez.It worked, in large part due to Alfaro's persistent persistence with Piero Hincapie (a teenage centre-back who is undoubtedly talented but clearly not ready for this level). With the game in balance, he was caught by Di Maria. Messi made the right pass, and Martinez scored the winning goal. De Paul's beautiful diagonal ball was enough to put Di Maria behind Hincapie. He was retorted by the defender and sent off. Messi then stepped in to complete the strange reunion with Galindez.The long shadow of No. 10Seven years ago, Uruguay and Colombia met in a knockout match in Brazil. It was then that Colombia won 1-0 thanks to a remarkable solo goal by James Rodriguez.The legend of the South American No. 10 is that of the scorer. 10 The gifted, indulgent individual who links attack and midfield.Rodriguez is not being indulged right now. Rodriguez is not being indulged at the moment. The Colombian camp's dismal results in November seemed to have caused some tension and Reinaldo Rueda, the new coach, was not impressed with Rodriguez's fitness. To the consternation of the player, he was dropped from the Copa America squad. Juan Fernando Quintero is also absent, despite being a brilliant player. He was quarantined in China. Rueda doesn't trust Edwin Cardona from Boca Juniors.Rueda seems to have decided that Cardona was a luxury player after a disappointing loss against Peru and he has been left out of Saturday's game against Brazil.Colombia had no No. It had 10 players in their team, which was a remarkable development for the country of Carlos Valderrama. Rueda instead played two up-top players, two wingers and one improvised striker. There were also two more dangerous players in the middle. It was clear that Colombia wouldn't, and could not, expand in the midfield. They would be direct and deal in quick transitions, trying to get Duvan Zpata behind the opposition defence.Giorgian de Arrascaeta continues to try and cement his position as Uruguay's creative fulcrum. EVARISTO SA/AFPUruguay tried, however, to go the opposite direction. Oscar Washington Tabarez, a veteran coach, has been tempted by the World Cup in Qatar to extend his stay as head coach. This is because the World Cup in Qatar offers the chance to have the outstanding strike pair of Luis Suarez & Edinson Cavani plus the promising young midfielders Federico Valverde & Rodrigo Bentancur.How can you link them? Tabarez gave extended opportunities to Giorgian de Arrascaeta (playmaker), in this tournament. De Arrascaeta has been with the team for seven years and has never managed to secure a spot. After the first match of the 2018 World Cup, Tabarez quickly decided to dismiss De Arrascaeta. Why? It's not easy to fit him into Uruguay's 4-2-4-2 system. He prefers to be able to move freely centrally, even though he isn't able to express his pace or physicality.He was granted what he wanted for this game. Right side was covered by Valverde's dynamism. Cavani's spirit of sacrifice meant that he sometimes dropped to the left, allowing De Arrascaeta space behind the central striker.It was neither a failure nor a success. It was not perfect, but there were times when it looked like it might. De Arrascaeta got involved in quick passing moves that threatened the rival defense. It was more flames than fires. Tabarez attempted to do something different halfway through the second period, removing De Arrascaeta from the field and introducing Facundo Torres, a more dynamic, young player. However, the wall of resistance erected by Gustavo Cuellar and Wilmar Barrios, a Colombian central midfield pair.Tabarez leaves the match -- and the competition -- without having resolved his doubts. It was a match that felt a lot like heavyweight boxers loading up, but failing to land the knockout punch. Colombia won the penalty shootout after a draw. Messi will be the new rival No. Barrios and Co. will be trying to neutralize 10
