Houston, We Have a Problem: Magical Leo Messi Sends Warning to the USMNT

With four wins out of four, Argentina are in imperious form going into the decisive stages of the Copa America Centenario. And the United States men's national team should pay close attention, as the Albiceleste and their talisman, Lionel Messi, keep getting better.

Venezuela were the latest victims for Gerardo Martino's men. The Vinotinto put up a spirited fight and even bested their illustrious rivals in certain passages of the game.

But the side could not live with Argentina when they put their foot on the accelerator. Messi, of course, drove his team, and he sent out an ominous message with a fine goal and two assists in Saturday's 4-1 drubbing in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Those local fans in the crowd may have enjoyed the master class, but a repeat for Tuesday's semi at NRG Stadium in Houston could prove irresistible for the USMNT.

The Massachusetts city has a prior connection to the South American side, albeit during one of the saddest chapters in the nation's football history. It was there in 1994 where nurse Sue Carpenter led away a lean, revitalised Diego Maradona to take the sport's most infamous doping test.

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That game against Nigeria was Diego's last for the Seleccion—a national tragedy and the precursor to a World Cup campaign that ended in defeat to Romania in the last 16. Luckily for Argentina, the substance that drives on the great's successor and heir at No. 10 cannot be detected in any test.

It was his first full game for Argentina at this Copa America, not that you would have guessed from his astounding display. Messi was at the heart of everything good about Martino's team and showed his intent from the first minute as he danced around five Venezuelan markers before sending his cross into Daniel Hernandez's grateful arms.

His goal, product of a neat one-two with Nicolas Gaitan and a perfect finish past the despairing Hernandez, was his 54th for the Seleccion. It also brought him level with the legendary Gabriel Batistuta in the nation's all-time record books. But La Pulga has never been solely about goals.

Two assists to down Venezuela brought his total number in international colours to 37. The first was an inch-perfect pass to Gonzalo Higuain. Erik Lamela also benefitted from Messi's tremendous eye for the pass to mark the fourth Argentine goal and put the result beyond doubt.

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Did the Vinotinto's defensive weaknesses contribute? Perhaps. But as Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo demonstrated in two ineffective performances against teams arguably more limited than Venezuela, reputation alone is no guarantee for success. Messi has played every minute of his stunted Copa so far like a man possessed, determined to drag Argentina to victory, and it shows.

The bearded genius is by no means alone on the field. His play has been enriched by the inclusion of a midfielder with real vision and creativity in Ever Banega, who has enjoyed a terrific Copa America. Higuain's return to goalscoring form is another welcome boost for the Albiceleste.

After failing to impress during the group stage, the Napoli star showed the anticipation that makes him such a potent threat in front of goal to first meet Messi's incredible pass and then latch on to a short ball from Venezuela's Arquimedes Figuera to score his second. Sergio Romero also showed his worth with a handful of fine saves when Venezuela threatened on a night that included a gift-wrapped penalty stop from Luis Seijas.

But the match belonged to Messi, and he will be the man the United States must strive to stop when the two sides meet in Houston on Tuesday. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann knows something about keeping Argentine superstars quiet. The German was part of the World Cup-winning side that bludgeoned Maradona into submission in the 1990 final, depriving him of a second medal.

The omens, however, do not look to be in the USMNT boss' favour.

Venezuela surrounded the Argentina captain on Saturday. They tried to push him back and isolate him. In a tactic Maradona was more than familiar with, they even tried to kick him off the field—fouling Messi six times over the 90 minutes—more than any other player by a comfortable margin. But nothing seemed to work.

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Batistuta, a veteran of the game in Foxborough 22 years ago and for at least three more days Argentina's top hitman, couldn't hide his admiration for the man gunning to break his landmark earlier this year. "Messi will beat me, that's a fact, and I'm surprised that it's not been done already," the retired striker admitted in an interview with TyC Sports' Libero (per Daniel Panero and Luke Salvin-Hughes of Marca).

"The consolation is that I'm losing this record to a player from another level, and I've already beaten one player, Diego Maradona, who was from another planet. ... I played with monsters like Claudio Caniggia, Oscar Ruggeri, Sergio Goycochea, 'El Burrito' [Ariel Ortega], 'El Cholo' [Diego Simeone].

"But Messi and Maradona come from another planet."

The next stop for Argentina's extraterrestrial is fittingly the Texan city synonymous with the space program. Klinsmann's side are on the up after a shaky start to the Copa and proved their mettle with a fine win over Ecuador to reach the semis for the second time in the nation's history.

If they cannot handle the star from another planet, however, the USMNT may have a serious problem indeed.

Follow Daniel on Twitter at @DanEdwardsGoal