Ecuador 1-3 Argentina
That’s exactly what we can look forward to after a simply devastating display from Lionel Messi has ensured Argentina’s presence in Russia.
Any lingering question that this is the best player in the world has now gone, after a display of pure genius and three goals took Argentina to the World Cup finals. And what a relief for Argentina! They arrived at the Estadio Olimpico Atahualpa, high in the mountains, with betting odds in their favour, but little else.
The South American giants had won only one of the previous ten football games in Quito, and another failure would have consigned Messi and co to a nerve-wracking play-off…or worse.
Absence from the World Cup would have been unthinkable, but it became a nightmarish reality on just 40 seconds when Romario Ibarra took advantage of Argentine jitters, leaving the defence and keeper Sergio Romero standing helplessly as he slotted home. But then he came…
Like Superman flying into the wreckage, he single-handedly pieced together the hopes of a nation with a simply amazing hour which will only add to the genius’s legend. First, he calmed his teammates by finishing off a sublime one-two with Angel Di Maria to level, then seizing possession he smashed a second high into the net to drag Argentina onto the lead.
Any remaining nerves dissipated on 62 minutes when Messi picked the ball up some 30 yards out before advancing on the keeper and lifting a beautiful chip into the net.
It would have been one heck of a story had Argentina failed. But the World Cup next year will be much the richer because they didn’t…thanks to that man Messi.
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