Argentinian striker Lionel Messi became his country&#39;s all-time top goalscorer on Tuesday when he scored in the Copa America semi-final against the United States to take his international tally to 55 goals. 
 
The five-time world player of the year scored in the 32nd minute of the match in Houston to give Argentina a 2-0 lead. 
 
The goal in his 112th international lifts him above Gabriel Batistuta, who scored 54 goals in 78 games for the two-time world champions. 
 
Messi&#39;s goal was a glorious free kick from 25 yards out that gave U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan little chance. He took the kick after being cynically felled as he burst forward by Chris Wondolowski, the American receiving a yellow card. 
 
It doubled Argentina&#39;s lead after Ezequiel Lavezzi put them one up in just three minutes. 
 
The Barcelona striker now has five goals in the Centenary Copa America and is one behind Chilean Eduardo Vargas in the race to become the tournament&#39;s top goalscorer. 
 
He has achieved his tally despite not starting in Argentina&#39;s first three games because of a back injury. 
 
His form has nevertheless been outstanding with the 28-year old scoring a hat-trick in 19 minutes after coming on as a substitute in a 5-0 win over Paraguay last week. 
 
Argentina are hot favourites to win the Copa and end a trophy drought that extends back to 1993, when they won the Copa in Ecuador. 
 
They reached the finals of the Copa America in 2015 and the World Cup in 2014 but narrowly lost both matches. 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The goal in his 112th international lifts him above Gabriel Batistuta who scored 54 goals in 78 games

Argentinian striker Lionel Messi became his country's all-time top goalscorer on Tuesday when he scored in the Copa America semi-final against the United States to take his international tally to 55 goals. The five-time world player of the year scored in the 32nd minute of the match in Houston to give Argentina a 2-0 lead. The goal in his 112th international lifts him above Gabriel Batistuta, who scored 54 goals in 78 games for the two-time world champions. Messi's goal was a glorious free kick from 25 yards out that gave U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan little chance. He took the kick after being cynically felled as he burst forward by Chris Wondolowski, the American receiving a yellow card. It doubled Argentina's lead after Ezequiel Lavezzi put them one up in just three minutes. The Barcelona striker now has five goals in the Centenary Copa America and is one behind Chilean Eduardo Vargas in the race to become the tournament's top goalscorer. He has achieved his tally despite not starting in Argentina's first three games because of a back injury. His form has nevertheless been outstanding with the 28-year old scoring a hat-trick in 19 minutes after coming on as a substitute in a 5-0 win over Paraguay last week. Argentina are hot favourites to win the Copa and end a trophy drought that extends back to 1993, when they won the Copa in Ecuador. They reached the finals of the Copa America in 2015 and the World Cup in 2014 but narrowly lost both matches. (Reuters)

Messi becomes Argentina's all-time top goalscorer

It will be virgin territory for Wales when they face Portugal in the Euro 2016 semi-finals yet their opponents could be forgiven a sense of deja vu as they step on to the pitch in Lyon today. 
 
This will be Portugal&#39;s fourth semi-final in the last five editions of the competition stretching back to 2000, but for all their success in reaching the latter stages of the tournament, there has been little glory along the way. 
 
Only once have they overcome the last-four hurdle and then they were beaten in the final by Greece as hosts at Euro 2004. 
 
If their defeat in the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup and the loss at the Euros in 1984 are taken into account, they are becoming all too familiar with the pitfalls of this stage of major tournaments. 
 
Portugal&#39;s conquerors in their recent last-four clashes have included football powerhouses France, at Euro 2000 and the World Cup in 2006, and Spain at Euro 2012. 
 
If they lose to Wales, playing their first major tournament in 58 years and their first ever semi-final, it would be a devastating blow. 
 
Yet Wales are arguably the form team coming into the match. 
 
Chris Coleman&#39;s side have revelled in their underdog status to win their group, which also included England, Russia and Slovakia, ease out British rivals Northern Ireland in the last 16 and sweep past heavy favourites Belgium in the quarters. 
 
Portugal are yet to win a match at the tournament inside 90 minutes, having drawn all three group games, beaten Croatia in extra time and squeezed past Poland on penalties. 
 
Things are yet to click for Portugal, and for captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who has at times looked exasperated by his team mates attacking shortcomings. 
 
Yet Portugal are unbeaten in 12 competitive internationals since Fernando Santos took over as coach at the start of the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. 
 
With Ronaldo&#39;s Real Madrid team mate Pepe marshalling an increasingly assured defence, they will be tough to break down. 
 
Especially for a Wales side deprived of one of their most talented creative influences in midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who will be suspended after picking up a booking in the win over Belgium. 
 
While Gareth Bale has been Wales&#39;s attacking talisman, scoring three times to lift them out of their group, Ramsey has been arguably their most influential player, scoring one and producing four assists in the run to the last four. 
 
The match is likely to be billed as a contest between the two most expensive players in the world - Ronaldo, who will play a record third European Championship semi-final, and his Real Madrid team mate Bale. 
 
Perhaps ominously for Wales, Ronaldo has netted twice in each of his last two games in Lyon for club and country. 
 
(Reuters)

Things are yet to click for the Portuguese and their captain Ronaldo, who has at times looked exasperated by his teammates' shortcomings

It will be virgin territory for Wales when they face Portugal in the Euro 2016 semi-finals yet their opponents could be forgiven a sense of deja vu as they step on to the pitch in Lyon today. This will be Portugal's fourth semi-final in the last five editions of the competition stretching back to 2000, but for all their success in reaching the latter stages of the tournament, there has been little glory along the way. Only once have they overcome the last-four hurdle and then they were beaten in the final by Greece as hosts at Euro 2004. If their defeat in the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup and the loss at the Euros in 1984 are taken into account, they are becoming all too familiar with the pitfalls of this stage of major tournaments. Portugal's conquerors in their recent last-four clashes have included football powerhouses France, at Euro 2000 and the World Cup in 2006, and Spain at Euro 2012. If they lose to Wales, playing their first major tournament in 58 years and their first ever semi-final, it would be a devastating blow. Yet Wales are arguably the form team coming into the match. Chris Coleman's side have revelled in their underdog status to win their group, which also included England, Russia and Slovakia, ease out British rivals Northern Ireland in the last 16 and sweep past heavy favourites Belgium in the quarters. Portugal are yet to win a match at the tournament inside 90 minutes, having drawn all three group games, beaten Croatia in extra time and squeezed past Poland on penalties. Things are yet to click for Portugal, and for captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who has at times looked exasperated by his team mates attacking shortcomings. Yet Portugal are unbeaten in 12 competitive internationals since Fernando Santos took over as coach at the start of the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. With Ronaldo's Real Madrid team mate Pepe marshalling an increasingly assured defence, they will be tough to break down. Especially for a Wales side deprived of one of their most talented creative influences in midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who will be suspended after picking up a booking in the win over Belgium. While Gareth Bale has been Wales's attacking talisman, scoring three times to lift them out of their group, Ramsey has been arguably their most influential player, scoring one and producing four assists in the run to the last four. The match is likely to be billed as a contest between the two most expensive players in the world - Ronaldo, who will play a record third European Championship semi-final, and his Real Madrid team mate Bale. Perhaps ominously for Wales, Ronaldo has netted twice in each of his last two games in Lyon for club and country. (Reuters)

In-form Wales take on Portugal

Serena and Venus Williams closed today on a fifth all-sister Wimbledon final while beaten quarter-finalist Dominika Cibulkova prepared to rush back to Slovakia to get ready for her wedding. 
 
Six-time champion Serena reached her 10th semi-final at the All England Club with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Russia 21st seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. 
 
She goes on to face Russian world number 50 Elena Vesnina on Thursday for a place in the final. 
 
Five-time champion Venus, seeded eight, enjoyed a 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 victory over Kazakhstans world number 96 Yaroslava Shvedova to reach her first Wimbledon semi-final in seven years. 
 
The 36-year-old will now face German fourth seed and Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber who reached her second Wimbledon semi-final with a 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) win over Simona Halep, the fifth seed from Romania. 
 
Vesnina made her first semi-final at a major, by seeing off bride-to-be Cibulkova, the Slovak 19th seed, 6-2, 6-2. &quot;They showed Venuss score on court and I was like yaaaay. I want her to win so bad, but not in the final if Im there,&quot; said defending champion Serena, who took her Grand Slam match win record to 302 -- four behind Martina Navratilovas all-time mark. 
 
It is the 11th time that the sisters have advanced to the semi-finals of the same Grand Slam event. 
 
Serena took a 5-0 career lead over Russian 21st seed Pavlyuchenkova into Tuesdays match, having not dropped a set to her opponent since their first meeting in 2010. But the match was decided in the ninth game of both sets with Williams carving out the only breaks of the match against Pavlyuchenkova, playing in her first Wimbledon quarter-final. 
 
The American finished the match with an 11th ace. 
 
&quot;It was good. I am excited to be able to win and get through, it felt really good,&quot; said Serena, who is bidding to win a record-equalling Open era 22nd Grand Slam title. On the potential of an all-Williams final, Serena refused to get too far ahead of herself even though she has a 4-0 winning record over Vesnina. &quot;We dont really talk too much about it but we are playing doubles later so we are just happy to be in the semi-finals,&quot; she said. 
 
Venus is the oldest womens semi-finalist since Martina Navratilova in 1994. Venus, who won the last of her seven Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon in 2008, is back in the last-four of a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2010 US Open. 
 
The eight-time Wimbledon finalist trails 3-2 in her five career meetings with 28-year-old Kerber, who won their only meeting on grass in the 2012 Olympics at Wimbledon. &quot;I love playing the game. When you are winning matches it makes it that much sweeter,&quot; the German said. &quot;You cant always have these big moments. I guess if you are Serena Williams it happens a lot, but for Venus Williams this is an awesome day. 
 
&quot;The first set tiebreak was key for Venus on Tuesday as she over-turned a 2/5 deficit before Shvedovas game fell apart in the second set. Kerber now has 33 match wins in 2016, joint-best with Cibulkova. &quot;I have had a great year so far. I think I am playing my best tennis. Hopefully I can play a few more matches here,&quot; she said. 
 
The 28-year-old Kerber, who also made the semi-finals in 2012, came out on top in a big-hitting battle with Halep, who was a semi-finalist in 2014. Cibulkova is due to marry fiance Miso Navara in her hometown of Bratislava on Saturday -- the same day as the womens final -- and the 27-year-old was willing to postpone the ceremony if she won her quarter-final. 
 
But 29-year-old Vesnina took advantage of a distracted display from Cibulkova to become the fifth unseeded woman to reach the All England Club semi-finals since the Grand Slams switched to 32 seeds in 2001. 
 
&quot;Serena is one of the greatest. I always watch her matches,&quot; said Vesnina who dropped out of the top 100 last year. 
 
&quot;I have to go on to the court with all my heart and take my chances.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

It is the 11th time that the William sisters have advanced to the semi-finals of the same Grand Slam event

Serena and Venus Williams closed today on a fifth all-sister Wimbledon final while beaten quarter-finalist Dominika Cibulkova prepared to rush back to Slovakia to get ready for her wedding. Six-time champion Serena reached her 10th semi-final at the All England Club with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Russia 21st seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. She goes on to face Russian world number 50 Elena Vesnina on Thursday for a place in the final. Five-time champion Venus, seeded eight, enjoyed a 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 victory over Kazakhstans world number 96 Yaroslava Shvedova to reach her first Wimbledon semi-final in seven years. The 36-year-old will now face German fourth seed and Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber who reached her second Wimbledon semi-final with a 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) win over Simona Halep, the fifth seed from Romania. Vesnina made her first semi-final at a major, by seeing off bride-to-be Cibulkova, the Slovak 19th seed, 6-2, 6-2. "They showed Venuss score on court and I was like yaaaay. I want her to win so bad, but not in the final if Im there," said defending champion Serena, who took her Grand Slam match win record to 302 -- four behind Martina Navratilovas all-time mark. It is the 11th time that the sisters have advanced to the semi-finals of the same Grand Slam event. Serena took a 5-0 career lead over Russian 21st seed Pavlyuchenkova into Tuesdays match, having not dropped a set to her opponent since their first meeting in 2010. But the match was decided in the ninth game of both sets with Williams carving out the only breaks of the match against Pavlyuchenkova, playing in her first Wimbledon quarter-final. The American finished the match with an 11th ace. "It was good. I am excited to be able to win and get through, it felt really good," said Serena, who is bidding to win a record-equalling Open era 22nd Grand Slam title. On the potential of an all-Williams final, Serena refused to get too far ahead of herself even though she has a 4-0 winning record over Vesnina. "We dont really talk too much about it but we are playing doubles later so we are just happy to be in the semi-finals," she said. Venus is the oldest womens semi-finalist since Martina Navratilova in 1994. Venus, who won the last of her seven Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon in 2008, is back in the last-four of a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2010 US Open. The eight-time Wimbledon finalist trails 3-2 in her five career meetings with 28-year-old Kerber, who won their only meeting on grass in the 2012 Olympics at Wimbledon. "I love playing the game. When you are winning matches it makes it that much sweeter," the German said. "You cant always have these big moments. I guess if you are Serena Williams it happens a lot, but for Venus Williams this is an awesome day. "The first set tiebreak was key for Venus on Tuesday as she over-turned a 2/5 deficit before Shvedovas game fell apart in the second set. Kerber now has 33 match wins in 2016, joint-best with Cibulkova. "I have had a great year so far. I think I am playing my best tennis. Hopefully I can play a few more matches here," she said. The 28-year-old Kerber, who also made the semi-finals in 2012, came out on top in a big-hitting battle with Halep, who was a semi-finalist in 2014. Cibulkova is due to marry fiance Miso Navara in her hometown of Bratislava on Saturday -- the same day as the womens final -- and the 27-year-old was willing to postpone the ceremony if she won her quarter-final. But 29-year-old Vesnina took advantage of a distracted display from Cibulkova to become the fifth unseeded woman to reach the All England Club semi-finals since the Grand Slams switched to 32 seeds in 2001. "Serena is one of the greatest. I always watch her matches," said Vesnina who dropped out of the top 100 last year. "I have to go on to the court with all my heart and take my chances." (AFP)

Serena, Venus close in on Wimbledon final

Germany&#39;s Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber reached her second Wimbledon semi-final today and edged closer to the world number one spot. 
 
The fourth-seeded left-hander emerged victorious over Simona Halep, the fifth seed from Romania, 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) on Centre Court and will face either Venus Williams or Yaroslava Shvedova for a place in Saturday`s final. 
 
Kerber is now in sight of becoming the new world number one, although she needs to win the title while seeing Serena Williams fail to make the semi-finals. 
 
&quot;I think we are both really good returners. It`s always tough to play against Simona. I won the last point and that`s what counts,&quot; said the winner. 
 
Kerber now has 33 match wins in 2016, joint-best with fellow quarter-finalist Dominika Cibulkova. 
 
&quot;I have had a great year so far. I think I am playing my best tennis. Hopefully I can play a few more matches here.&quot; 
 
The 28-year-old Kerber, who also made the semi-finals in 2012, came out on top in a big-hitting battle with Halep, who was a semi-finalist in 2014. 
 
The first set alone saw nine breaks of serve in 12 games with Kerber squandering leads of 3-1 and 5-3 before her Romanian opponent double-faulted on set point. 
 
Kerber was 4-2 and 5-3 in front in the second before the tenacious Halep fought back to reach the tiebreak in a set which featured four more breaks. 
 
But Kerber dominated the tiebreak, going to match point when Halep was bamboozled by a net cord and then taking victory off a backhand error. 
 
(AFP)

This will be Angelique Kerber?s second Wimbledon semi-final where she will face either Venus Williams or Yaroslava Shvedova

Germany's Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber reached her second Wimbledon semi-final today and edged closer to the world number one spot. The fourth-seeded left-hander emerged victorious over Simona Halep, the fifth seed from Romania, 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) on Centre Court and will face either Venus Williams or Yaroslava Shvedova for a place in Saturday`s final. Kerber is now in sight of becoming the new world number one, although she needs to win the title while seeing Serena Williams fail to make the semi-finals. "I think we are both really good returners. It`s always tough to play against Simona. I won the last point and that`s what counts," said the winner. Kerber now has 33 match wins in 2016, joint-best with fellow quarter-finalist Dominika Cibulkova. "I have had a great year so far. I think I am playing my best tennis. Hopefully I can play a few more matches here." The 28-year-old Kerber, who also made the semi-finals in 2012, came out on top in a big-hitting battle with Halep, who was a semi-finalist in 2014. The first set alone saw nine breaks of serve in 12 games with Kerber squandering leads of 3-1 and 5-3 before her Romanian opponent double-faulted on set point. Kerber was 4-2 and 5-3 in front in the second before the tenacious Halep fought back to reach the tiebreak in a set which featured four more breaks. But Kerber dominated the tiebreak, going to match point when Halep was bamboozled by a net cord and then taking victory off a backhand error. (AFP)

Kerber beats Halep, through Wimbeldon semi-final

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semi final

Messi becomes Argentina's all-time top goalscorer

In-form Wales take on Portugal

Serena, Venus close in on Wimbledon final

Kerber beats Halep, through Wimbeldon semi-final