NHL| Page 5 GOLF | Page 7 Red Wings Man of the suff er fi rst hour Thomas loss of season, eyes win 4-2 to Stars in Malaysia Thursday, October 12, 2017 FOOTBALL Muharram 22, 1438 AH Portugal, France GULF TIMES clinch Russia spots but Dutch bow out SPORT Page 3 The Messi-ah AFP Messi, who will turn 31 during next year’s But it was not long before Messi stamped his Zealand, but trailed on goal diff erence. Chile Argentina Montevideo World Cup, now has one, perhaps final, authority on the game, hauling his team back coach Juan Antonio Pizzi announced his chance to emulate his idol Diego Maradona into the contest with a composed opening resignation following the exit. by lifting the World Cup. goal. “I take full responsibility,” Pizzi told reporters. book Russia ionel Messi fired Argentina into the Relieved Argentina manager Jorge Sam- The equaliser came in the 12th minute when “We gave everything but it was not enough. I World Cup with a brilliant hat-trick on paoli — the third coach appointed during Messi darted forward and quickly released will not continue.” berth aft er Tuesday as South American champi- the qualifying campaign — could not avoid Angel Di Maria down the left. Peru meanwhile kept alive their hopes of Lons Chile suff ered a shock elimination. expressing his gratitude to Messi following The Paris Saint-Germain attacker duly qualifying for the World Cup for the first Messi single-handedly resurrected Argen- Tuesday’s win. returned the favour as Messi raced into the time since 1982 with a fighting 1-1 draw with Barcelona tina’s hopes in a 3-1 win over Ecuador in Quito “Messi doesn’t owe a World Cup to Argen- penalty area to poke home a low finish past Colombia in Lima. that drew a line under a chaotic campaign tina — football owes a World Cup to Messi,” Maximo Banguera. Colombia took the lead through James that had left the two-time champions in Sampaoli said. Eight minutes later Messi fired Argentina into Rodriguez in the 56th minute before veteran superstar’s danger of failing to qualify. “He’s the best player in history. This is a team the lead with another virtuoso strike, lashing striker Paolo Guerrero equalised in the 74th The Barcelona superstar scored twice inside victory. They played a brilliant match.” into the top corner. minute. The result saw Colombia qualify the opening 20 minutes to give Argentina Messi later told reporters the prospect of not Messi then completed his hat-trick with a alongside Uruguay, 4-2 winners over Bolivia hat-trick the lead after Ecuador had stunned the visi- qualifying had weighed heavily on the squad. sublime chip in the 62nd minute to make it in Montevideo. tors with an opening goal after from Romario “It would have been crazy for Argentina, for 3-1. Uruguay, who finished the standings in against Ibarra after 38 seconds. all of us,” he said. “Obviously there was that But while Argentina celebrated, it was a second place, were jolted by a Gaston Silva Messi then completed his hat-trick — the fear, but today we knew how to play.” miserable night for Sampaoli’s former team own goal which gave Bolivia the lead on 24 44th of his dazzling career — with a sublime The striker said he expects Argentina to Chile. minutes. Ecuador chip in the second half to seal the victory. improve now the pressure of qualifying has The Chileans — winners of the Copa America Martin Caceres and Edinson The Argentinian superstar can now look for- liften. in 2015 and 2016 — were soundly beaten Cavani scored twice just before ward to his fourth appearance at the World “I think there is going to be a very big 3-0 by Brazil in Sao Paulo to see themselves half-time to give Uruguay the lead Cup at next year’s finals in Russia, where he change. I think the team will grow much bet- eliminated on goal diff erence. before two goals from Luis Suarez will attempt once more to lead his country to ter now,” he added. Barcelona’s Paulinho opened the scoring be- put the hosts 4-1 up. an elusive major title. Argentina had started the day outside the fore Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus bagged Bolivia re- duced the Since his country’s defeat to Germany in automatic qualifying positions, needing to a brace to secure a win already-qualified deficit when Uruguay’s the 2014 World Cup final, Messi has twice secure their first win in Quito since 2001 to Brazil which relegated Chile to sixth place in Diego Godin scored the suff ered agony at major tournaments with be certain of claiming at least a playoff place. the standings. second own Argentina, losing the finals of both the 2015 It looked as if Argentina’s worst fears were The Chileans finished level on goal of the Copa America and the 2016 Copa America set to become a reality after Ibarra’s points with Peru, who secured night. Centenario. opening goal in the first minute. a two-leg playoff against New Lionel Messi celebrates scoring a gainst Ecuador on Tuesday. Lionel Messi celebrates scoring a gainst Ecuador on Tuesday. Gulf Times 2 Thursday, October 12, 2017 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT ‘Thank God for Messi’ says relieved Argentina AFP again to give Argentina the lead. whelming performances by the nation- Buenos Aires “2-1 was not enough. We couldn’t al side. Only a win would do in Quito, be calm,” said Lautaro Gonzalez, 35, where Argentina hadn’t won since celebrating after being put through 2001. The nation held its breath. No- nation exploded with re- an emotional wringer by his national body here, or anywhere else, wanted to lief on Tuesday night as Li- team. Beside him a disbelieving Maxi- contemplate the unthinkable but very onel Messi single-handedly miliano Lacasa proclaimed himself a real prospect of Argentina losing. dragged his Argentina team devotee of “Saint Messi. Thank God we That would mean next year’s World Ainto next year’s World Cup fi nals with a have him.” Cup in Russia would go ahead without spellbinding hat-trick in the thin air of Pride in the shirt was restored when Messi, arguably the world’s greatest Quito against Ecuador. Messi completed his hat-trick in the player. “It’s complicated, I want the “Messi is E.T. He’s from another second half. It was time for Argentin- team to be at the World Cup in Russia, planet. He’s not from this world,” Mar- ians at home to believe again. Pablo but only a miracle can save them. I’m co Mouras, a 28-year-old Brazilian said Ramos, 34, could hardly take it in. The going to pray for them,” said Maria Cor- in a crowded Buenos Aires bar as Ar- team is still a misfi ring mess going to doba, a 64-year-old optician. gentinians around him went wild, beer the World Cup, he said, “so it’s all suf- Cometh the hour, cometh the man, and pizza spilling onto the fl oor. fering.” and now Argentina will bask in the fact Messi gave the world a masterclass Even music yielded to Messi when that the “Messiah” will lead them to of what it would be missing if he didn’t Irish rockers U2 delayed their con- the World Cup fi nals. Team coach Jorge go to Russia 2018, a distinct possibility cert by almost two hours to allow fans Sampaoli said he had told his players: when Argentina went a goal down in- in the La Plata stadium near Buenos “Messi doesn’t owe the World Cup to side the fi rst minute of a match they had Aires time to watch the match on gi- Argentina, football owes the World Cup to win. A graveyard silence descended ant screens. When they fi nally came on to Messi. Messi is the best player in his- on bars, restaurants and homes when stage, they kicked off a giant party. tory and I’m really excited to be able to Ecuador’s Romario Ibarra struck in the With seemingly everyone crowded be in a group, close to him.” fi rst minute of the game, casting a pall around every available TV set, the The main concerns of most Argen- of gloom across Argentina as he scored. streets of Buenos Aires were so empty tinians is the economy and the loss of It was proof for the doomsayers that it seemed like a curfew. People wore the purchasing power, but the torments of this team was a lost cause. Argentinians Argentine shirt in the build-up, but not the national team has relegated even had suff ered too much during a lacklus- many. The Argentine public had grown that into the background. The nation tre qualifi cation series and this was the tired of believing in vain. yearns for a return to the glory days of last straw. But Messi burst through the A win seemed a little too fanciful to Argentina's superstar Lionel Messi leaves Ecuador defenders in their wake as he scores during the 2018 World Cup qualifier 1978 and 1986 when Argentina won the gloom to equalize and then soon scored most, exasperated by a series of under- football match in Quito, Ecuador, on Tuesday night. (AFP) World Cup. Over to you, Mr Messi. WORLD CUP QUALIFIER Chile’s paradox: CAS decision may have cost them the World Cup US knocked out of WC Buenos Aires: The South the standings and in the play- American qualifiers for Russia off s.