Copa America: Lionel Messi set to play Friday vs. Panama

Lionel Messi is ready to play again. At a key moment, too.

Messi is set to return from a back injury when Argentina takes on Panama in Copa America on Friday night at Soldier Field.

"He has been training without any issues, no need of doing anything special and so he is playing tomorrow," manager Gerardo Martino said Thursday. "He started training with the team since yesterday. He managed to do it without any pain, any problems, so there's not a reason for him not to play."

Messi departed in the second half of a 1-0 victory against Honduras on May 27 with a back and rib injury. The five-time FIFA Player of the Year watched as top-ranked Argentina beat Chile 2-1 on Monday night.

Messi has stayed mostly quiet about his status. He said Tuesday on his Facebook page that he hoped to be back to help the team as soon as possible.

"He's doing well. He's very motivated. ... The conditions to which he is coming back to the team are ideal," Martino said through an interpreter.

Venezuela eliminates Uruguay 

Salomon Rondon scored on a rebound after a shot from midfield struck the crossbar and Venezuela beat Uruguay 1-0 on Thursday night to advance to the Copa America Centenario quarter-finals.

The West Bromwich striker scored in the 36th minute, after a shot from midfield by Alejandro Guerra was barely deflected by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and hit the crossbar.

"Today we showed the Rocky we have inside," Venezuela coach Rafael Dudamel said. "That fighter who never gives up, who may go down, but gets up again."

Venezuela won its first two games and leads Group C with six points. Uruguay has two losses and was eliminated from the tournament when Mexico beat Jamaica 2-0 in the late match in Pasadena, California.

It was Venezuela's first Copa America win against Uruguay, a team that has won the tournament a record 15 times.

"The players always believed in themselves," Dudamel said. "We asked them, you think we have the players to do it? And all of them said 'yes', without any hesitation."

Uruguay's Edinson Cavani missed several scoring chances, including a one-on-one against goalkeeper Jose Contreras in the 90th minute.

Suarez not ready

Luis Suarez missed his second consecutive game for Uruguay with a hamstring injury. The Barcelona striker was injured in the Copa del Rey final.

"We didn't play like a team that needs to get a good result," said Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez.

He added Suarez is not ready to play, and will probably miss Uruguay's last group stage match on Monday against Jamaica.

"We want Suarez when he's ready," Tabarez said.

Mexico in quarter-finals

When Javier Hernandez headed home an early goal for Mexico, he set off a seismic celebration at a Rose Bowl packed to bursting with green-clad fans.

He also sent Copa America's other home team rolling toward the next round.

Chicharito scored on a first-half header, and Mexico survived a tense second half to advance to the Copa America quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over Jamaica on Thursday night.

Substitute Oribe Peralta scored in the 81st minute and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa made several big stops in El Tri's 11th consecutive win in international play, including both games in this tournament.

"In general terms, we were superior in front of a great opponent," said Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio, who is still perfect in his new job. "If that opponent gets in front of anybody, they will score. We are very satisfied."

Mexico advanced from its group along with surprising Venezuela, which beat Uruguay earlier. Mexico and Venezuela will meet Monday in Houston to determine the higher seed in knockout play.

Drawing a crowd

The Rose Bowl crowd of 83,263 was utterly dominated by cheers for the most passionately supported team in this US-based tournament. El Tri attracts enormous crowds wherever it plays north of the border, but none are consistently bigger and more passionate than those in Los Angeles' enormous Mexican-American community.

"We thought that we understood how much passion the national team generates in the [U.S.]-Mexican population, but in the last three games, I have to admit that I had no clue," said Osorio, favourably comparing Mexico's Rose Bowl support to Manchester United's backing at Old Trafford.

"Or better yet, I misunderstood, because what we heard today, the noise in today's match was absolutely amazing," Osorio added. "It was absolutely outstanding, and I think the players feel that and try to play their best, because we don't see that as a bad thing. On the contrary, we think it's fantastic. We can only wish to play every single match in an environment like tonight's."