A week ago Argentina was hanging on a thread as their
chance to qualify for the World Cup was slipping away. After so many
disappointments; and poor performances in previous matches, they only had a
must win option against Ecuador if they wanted to secure a ticket to Russia
next summer.
It was a complicated situation occurring that Tuesday night
across the CONMEBOL as other nations were fighting to make it to Russia with
the exception of Brazil.
Here is where it was interesting for Messi and co; If Colombia
and Chile did not win their matches Argentina would go through if they beat
Ecuador. Otherwise they are most likely to go to the play offs.
But Brazil 3-0 victory ended Chile’s chances to claim a spot
in Russia next summer and Colombia and Peru ended in a 1-1 draw, which was
considered a bit controversial. Peru will have to go to the play offs against
New Zealand.
But Back to Argentina! What a must see match that was
against Ecuador and its high altitude.
The albiceleste has suffered defeats in Quito before, but this time the
magic of Messi had to appear if they wanted to make it through.
This match had all the ingredients that make a movie a
successful hit at the box office. It truly was not for the faint-hearted given
that not one minute has gone by when Ecuador has put one in the scoreboard.
GOOOAAAALLL!
What was going through the Argentine fans’ mind? I truly
don’t want to know but it must have been an agony of the worst kind. Luckily
though they had the sorcerer with them, but not the crazy guy in the stands
wearing feathers. No, their wizard and only magician capable of getting them
out of the hole they dug themselves into was Leonel Messi.
Their captain appeared when they needed him the most; as it
was not an easy task to overcome Ecuador at their home turf. By minute 12 it
was a tie, and later at minute 19 it was 2-1 Argentina leading.
But the one cushion goal that must have made many heads
explode; especially, those soccer fans that wanted to see Messi and Argentina
in the next World Cup came in the 61st minute. Messi scored one of
the most important and heroics hat trick of his career.
Even those announcers that constantly criticized him were
screaming to the top of their lungs GOOAAAAAAL GOAAAAAAL GOOOOOOAAAL.
Undoubtedly, the best of Messi appeared on the pitch
answering all his critics, by giving back to an entire nation the dream of a
World Cup title.
