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Thanks for reading, it's been an absolute pleasure. (and a privilege to have seen that Messi hattrick. If someone can explain how in the blue hell he managed to score that third goal of his, please do ping me @animenon19)
The four teams that will surely travel to Russia...
BRAZIL
URUGUAY
ARGENTINA
COLOMBIA
PERU will head to the playoff vs New Zealand.
Alexis Sanchez, Arturo Vidal and the rest of the South American Champions CHILE ought to get themselves some new TV sets and watch Russia 2018 with VR goggles. That's the closest they'll come to playing in it.
93' OH ICARDI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MESSI ROLLS THE BALL ONTO THE PATH OF PEREZ, WHO DOES EVER SO WELL TO PLAY IN ICARDI... THE INTER MAN TAKES IT ROUND THE KEEPER, BUT BANGUERA DOES EVER SO WELL TO GET BACK AND SAVE THE SHOT
89' Enner Valencia isn't going to give up just yet and he wins yet another foul off Biglia in a position from which Ecuador can send a decent delivery. Sampaoli battens down the hatches by taking off Salvio and bring on the massive frame of Fazio
88' Argentina are getting penned back by Ecuador - the young men are giving their home crowd something to sing about... though the loudest singing is coming from the congregation that prays at the Church of Leo
86' Uchuari has been excellent since coming on... he drives straight at Argentina once again, before Mascherano takes him out with an uncompromising body check. That's yellow for Masch and a promising freekick for Ecuador
85' Uchuaro does ever so well to wriggle his way past Biglia and power Ecuador forward.. shifting the ball out wide in the process, but Renato Ibarra's delivery's not upto scratch
82' OOOOO! Romario Ibarra won the ball off Messi with what looked like a fair challenge - setting Estrada free into the Argentine box in the process - but the ref doesn't quite like the challenge and responds to Messi's yelp of pain by giving him the foul
80' Uchuaro picks out Renato Ibarra with a lovely ball and then flies into the box for the return, but the pass hits him midstride and it bounces off for a goal kick.
77' OOOOO! ESTRADA! Christian Ramirez and Romario Ibarra work some space down the left before the former sends in a lovely cross that is thumped high over the bar by Estrada!
76' Substitution for Argentina as Mario Benedetto is replaced by Mauro Icardi.... can the charismatic striker bag his first goal for Argentina? Meanwhile Ecuador take off Intriago for Uchuari
75' Di Maria sends Ibarra into early retirement with an entirely wonderful piece of skill that leaves the Ecuadorian clutching at his shadow.... but Benedetto can't make the most of the pass that Di Maria digs out post that
71' Ecuador, to their undying credit, haven't given up the ghost... they plow forward but Ibarra's shot screams into the thin air of Quito and out of the stadium
69' Biglia chips the ball over and beyond the Ecuadorian defence and onto Messi's feet.... Quito holds it's collective breath, but Messi chooses to pass, and it's cut off quite easily
An awestruck Anirudh Menon signing off
Toodle-ooo!