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
67' Argentina have a spring in their step now, as evidenced by Mascherano's adventurism as he goes gamboling along into the opposition half, their captain seems to have settled everyone's nerves
66' Ecuador look like they have just laid witness to something inhuman. And they have. Leo Messi is not from this planet.... meanwhile, it's Estrada who is on for the home side
65' Ecuador shuffle things around by taking off Ordonez and bring on - again thanks to the utter eedjits at Sony, I am not quite sure who. Will tell you at the earliest though
Out of nothing, the great man creates magic. He finds himself in a pocket of space, drives at three defenders, slips past them and chips it into the corner of the net.
59' Mercado drives home the point I was making by gifting the ball to Romario Ibarra who drives at the Argentine box and wins a corner of a desperate Mascherano block
58' With so much technical quality in their side, why do Argentina look so shambolic in possession when it's not one of Messi or Di Maria who has the ball? Astounding really
56' Ordonez has been making hell for the Argentine back three all night long - and this time he inflicts a world of pain on Otamendi by landing on him after both challenged for the ball in the air. Considering Ordonez is built along the same lines as those mountain peaks that frame Quito... it really must have hurt
55' Renato Ibarra is such a powerful dribbler. He scythes Argentina open with a run straight through the heart of the team before he lays the ball off to Enner Valencia, but the experienced forward's cross is not upto the mark
54' With Messi not getting the ball much, Argentina suddenly look like that side which started the game outside the qualification places. They really, really, have been dire this campaign, and they are looking dire at the moment.
52' Yellow for Acuna as he slashes down Renato Ibarro down the right flank - Ecuador are stepping on the gas now, and the crowd can sense something coming.
51' Ecuador try to pass their way through Argentina - but Mercado reads their intentions. Messi then takes the ball and tries to wriggle past Ramirez and Romario Ibarra, but nothing doing.
48' Just as I say that Angel Di Maria steps on the accelerator - Argentina always look a more complete, a more dangerous side when he is playing well - and wins a corner.
46' Argentina's inclination to take their foot off the pedal meant Ecuador grew back into the game and they have started this half like they did the first - ok, not exactly like that (what a first minute goal, though) but they are looking sharp
Oh, the Lords above. What a half of football that was. Argentina are on course for sealing a place to Russia - thanks to one man - but Ecuador are in no mood to roll over and make the job easier for them.
45' Salvio makes a rare surge forward and he does well to win a freekick by the corner flag on the right flank.... Messi's delivery floats teasingly across the six-yard box, but no one in blue and white can get to ti.
44' The boffins in charge of Sony's FIFA WC Qualifying coverage have a particular dislike for showing the clock/scorecard on the screen, so I am calculating time assuming we kicked off exactly 44 minutes ago
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