Copa America: Vargas, Sanchez hit braces as Chile beat Panama 4-2

Eduardo Vargas (15 and 43 minute) and Alexis Sanchez (50 and 89 minute) hit two goals each to register a 4-2 win over Panama at the Lincoln Financial Field here

Pennsylvania: Eduardo Vargas (15 and 43 minute) and Alexis Sánchez (50 and 89 minute) hit two goals each to register a 4-2 win over Panama at the Lincoln Financial Field here.

Chile's Eduardo Vargas (L) celebrates with Alexis Sanchez after scoring against Panama. Pic/AFP

Panama hit in the third minute as Miguel Elias Camargo Cañizalez fired an effort from 30 yards and Chile Claudio Bravo fumbles it into the goal.

But Chile hit back in the 15th minute when Eduardo Jesús Vargas Rojas levelled for them with a fine rebound by Sanchez’s shot that was brilliantly kept out by Penedo.

The teams continued to mount pressure on each other. The attack paid Chile, who took lead in the 43rd minute with a powerful header by Vargas into the bottom corner from a delightful Beausejour cross.

On the other side of the first half, Alexis Sanchez hit a wonderful volley into the corner maing it 3-1 in favour of Chile. However, Abdiel Arroyo Molinar jumped on another mistake by Bravo.

Arroyo got on the end of a scramble in the area following a free-kick and sent a header straight at Bravo, who fumbles it into his own net at the near post in the 75th minute.

Alexis Sánchez hit his second for the night in the 89th minute to book Chile's place in the quarter-finals as he onto the end of Fuenzalida's cross to send a finish past Penedo.

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