{"id":361023,"date":"2017-10-11T05:43:20","date_gmt":"2017-10-11T05:43:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=361023"},"modified":"2017-10-11T05:43:20","modified_gmt":"2017-10-11T05:43:20","slug":"messi-hat-trick-sends-argentina-to-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/10\/messi-hat-trick-sends-argentina-to-world-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"Messi hat-trick sends Argentina to World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"
A Lionel Messi hat-trick ensured Argentina came from behind to win in Ecuador and avoid missing a World Cup finals for the first time since 1970.<\/p>\n
The 2014 runners up began the day sixth in the group and needing a top-four place to qualify automatically.<\/p>\n
They made a terrible start in Quito, losing a goal inside 38 seconds, but fought back with Messi to the fore.<\/p>\n
“Luckily the nationality of the best player in the world is Argentinian,” said coach Jorge Sampaoli.<\/p>\n
“We must be sure everything does not depend on Leo [Messi] but today he brought his great ability.<\/p>\n
“I told the group: Messi did not owe the World Cup to Argentina, but football owed the World Cup to Messi. We should help him be in the World Cup.”<\/p>\n
The Barcelona forward equalised in the high-altitude Ecuadorian capital after 12 minutes when he linked up with Paris St-Germain midfielder Angel di Maria and stabbed home.<\/p>\n
The five-time world player of the year’s second goal came eight minutes later with a powerful strike from the edge of the area before a fine solo goal in the second half sealed the victory and Argentina’s passage to Russia.<\/p>\n
However,\u00a0Chile\u00a0<\/b>– the winners of the last two Copa America titles – are out after losing 3-0 in Brazil.<\/p>\n
Brazil had already qualified and Luis Suarez scored twice as\u00a0Uruguay\u00a0<\/b>beat Bolivia 4-2 to qualify, with\u00a0Colombia<\/b>\u00a0also advancing after a 1-1 draw in Peru.<\/p>\n
Peru<\/b>\u00a0finished fifth in South American qualifying and will now meet New Zealand in a two-legged play-off.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A Lionel Messi hat-trick ensured Argentina came from behind to win in Ecuador and avoid missing a World Cup finals for the first time since 1970. The 2014 runners up began the day sixth in the group and needing a top-four place to qualify automatically. They made a terrible start in Quito, losing a goal […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n