LIONEL MESSI pretty much ended the United States’ Copa America hopes in less than three minutes.

    Argentina’s diminutive dribbling and scoring machine showed the skills, speed and brilliance that made him a five-time FIFA World Player of the Year, exposing the huge gap between the U.S. and soccer’s elite.

    Messi set up Ezequiel Lavezzi’s opening goal 175 seconds in, scored on a free kick to break Argentina’s career scoring record and assisted on the second of Gonzalo Higuain’s two goals in a 4-0 rout Tuesday night that put La Albiceleste into the Copa America final.

    “We got outplayed badly by a very good team,” U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati said. “Today is a good day to judge where we are in program overall. We’re obviously a long way off.”

    Messi flicked the ball over the defense to an open Lavezzi for the opener, then doubled the lead in the 32nd minute with his 55th international goal, his fifth of the tournament. Higuain added goals in the 50th and 86th minutes, the latter off Messi’s pass.

    Argentina had 67 percent possession and outshot the U.S. 10-0 — nine of them on goal.

    “Once we were 1-nil down, we had far too much respect,” U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. “After that early goal, I think just that our players could feel that they are just probably in every position on the field just better than we are.”

    U.S. players seemed shocked after their largest margin of defeat in a competitive match since a 5-0 loss to Mexico in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup final. While saying he respected Klinsmann’s opinion, U.S. captain Michael Bradley also said: “Please don’t make it out to be anything like that.”

    Argentina seeks its first major title since the 1993 Copa — and its first since Messi’s debut in 2005 — on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, against the winner of the other semifinal between Chile and Colombia.

    “We deserve it, for all the good work we’ve been doing all these years,” Messi said.

    Argentina will be missing Lavezzi, who broke his left elbow when he fell backward over an advertising sign board in the 63rd minute while trying to chest a pass.

    Hosting a special, expanded 16-nation edition of South America’s championship to celebrate Copa America’s 100th anniversary, the U.S. won a difficult group that included third-ranked Colombia and then beat No. 13 Ecuador in the quarterfinals. But top-ranked Argentina and Messi, who turns 29 Friday and is at the top of his game, stunned the No. 31 U.S. and the sellout crowd of 70,858 at NRG Stadium.

    “It’s some of his angles and his spurts and just going from a walk to an absolute sprint,” U.S. midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. “You try to do what you can to stop him, but once he gets going, it’s hard.”

    The U.S. closes its tournament Saturday in the third-place match at Glendale, Arizona.

    (SD-Agencies)