Lionel Messi Nets Two In Eight Minutes, Gives Argentina 2-1 Lead At Half

You know what Kobe Bryant once said: “You shake a tree and a leopard is gonna fall out.” Well, Ecuador shook the tree. Ecuador's Romario Ibarra netted a nifty little goal off a couple of give-and-go headers and La Albiceleste were off to a nightmarish start. Then the leopard fell out.

Lionel Messi is the leopard. Messi went on to score two goals just eight minutes apart (12’ and 20’) to give Argentina life on the last day of this crazy CONMEBOL qualifying campaign.

Messi goal vs Ecuador #1

Gol, Gol, Gooool, @TeamMessi marca en el minuto 12' que le devuelve la vida a la @Argentina. pic.twitter.com/5a1hbzVfEv

— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) October 10, 2017

Messi goal vs Ecuador #2

¡GOLAZOOOO¡ @TeamMessi lo vuelve a hacer y ahora pone a ganar a @Argentina en solo 20 minutos de partido. pic.twitter.com/FMBg2n9705

— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) October 10, 2017

 As of RIGHT NOW, 8:20PM, this is how CONMEBOL would shake out:

| 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification - CONMEBOL

This is as it stands pic.twitter.com/SeDHxAGHgi

— ~ (@UltraAutistic) October 11, 2017