Messi won’t be missing out
Russians so undiplomatic
TEAMS IN THE PLAY-OFFS EUROPE: SOUTH AMERICA/OCEANIA: CONCACAF, ASIA: ®
LIONEL MESSI claimed Argentina deserve to be at the World Cup after single-handedly booking their place in Russia.
Messi’s hat-trick in a make-or-break 3-1 win in Ecuador rescued the two-time winners from the brink of disaster. Having flirted with elimination, Jorge Sampaoli’s side eventually finished third to join Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia in qualifying from South America. Messi said: “We deserve to be there after what we have gone through during qualifying. We did not deserve to miss out and our place at the tournament is merited. “It was important for us that everything went well and when everybody is together in the same direction, it is a lot easier for us.” Sampaoli said: “I told the group, ‘Messi did not owe the World Cup to Argentina, but football owed the World Cup to Messi’.” Peru will play-off against New Zealand, while Alexis Sanchez’s Chile missed out on qualification in part thanks to Arsenal team-mate David Ospina. The goalkeeper touched Paolo Guerrero’s indirect free-kick before it crossed the line, as Colombia and Peru drew 1-1 in Lima. Had Ospina not touched it, then the goal would have been disallowed and Chile would have replaced Peru in the play-offs, despite their 3-0 defeat to Brazil. In the CONCACAF section, the USA missed out on the finals for the first time since 1986 after losing 2-1 to Trinidad and Tobago. But there was controversy as Panama made it after defeating Costa Rica with a dodgy goal which did not cross the line. Honduras, who qualified for the final play-off spot, now face Australia over two legs. In Africa, Nigeria and Egypt have qualified, with Tunisia, Morocco and Senegal favourites to join them. In Europe, of the eight nations who will play each other for a place in the finals, Switzerland, Italy, Croatia and Denmark will all be seeded. Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Sweden and Greece will be the teams facing them when the draw is made in Zurich next Tuesday.