Mexico 0 Chile 7: Eduardo Vargas nets an incredible FOUR times as holders embarrass hapless Mexicans in Santa Clara
Chileans run riot in Santa Clara as Alexis Sanchez and Edson Puch also get on the scoresheet in mauling
A MAURADING Chile thrashed a hapless Mexico to book their place in the Copa America semi-finals.
Edson Puch got the party started, before Eduardo Vargas got into top gear, finding the net FOUR times in an embarrassing second half surrender from Mexico.
The two teams featured a number of familiar faces, with holders Chile fielding Premier League star Alexis Sanchez and Bayern's Arturo Vidal, whilst Mexico had former Manchester United man Chicarito leading the line.
Sanchez was lively from the off and should've done better when getting to the byline shortly after kick-off, but he could only pull back to a Mexican defender.
And Chile should've been ahead with ten minutes on the clock.
Vidal whipped a superb ball over the top into the channel and Edson Puch galloped onto it before lifting the ball over Guillermo Ochoa - and agonisingly wide of the post.
But the tournament new-boy broke the deadlock just five minutes later after superb work from Sanchez, picking up on Ochoa's spilt shot and stabbing in at the near post.
The stadium fell into hush, such was the size of the Mexican contingent, who immediately rose the volume and demanded more from their side.
Mexico last tasted defeat 22 games ago to Ecuador in Copa American 2015 and weren't going to lie down - but the Chileans were just so strong on the break.
And when they were getting into the final third, the ball just wasn't sticking for Chicarito and co.
Chile had the ball in the net after Vargas lashed in from Sanchez's fine cross, but the Hoffenheim was rightly deemed to be offside.
Mexico were hanging on and were desperate for the half time whistle to blow.
But after more brilliant work from Sanchez, this time Vargas made no mistake and slashed home from close range just two minutes before the break.
The Mexicans made two changes at the interval, replacing Jesus Duenas with Carlos Pena and Raul Jimenez for Hirving Lozano.
Yet just two minutes after the restart, dawdling in defence was punished by Sanchez who got free in the box and placed his shot past a stricken Ochoa.
And it began to get embarrassing for Mexico as yet again they surrendered possession in a key area - leaving Vargas through on goal - and it was all too easy for him to make it four.
The stunned crowd in Santa Clara could only watch as the shambolic defending continued - and that man Vargas was there to thrash home yet another spilt rebound from the hapless stopper.
Jean Beausejour was a revelation down the wings and pummelled the shell-shocked Mexico right-back time and time again.
The nightmare wasn't over as Vargas helped himself to a fourth, again profiting from a combination of poor goalkeeping and terrible defending to lash in from close range.
And there was even time for Puch - the man who started it all - to bag a late seventh.
Chile progress to face Colombia in what will be a fascinating semi final.
Whilst the Mexicans will ponder just what went so wrong.