Chris Maduewesi
Member
The Super Eagles qualified by virtue of having four points and Iran losing to Bosnia as both teams finished behind Nigeria in group F.
Yet again Nigeria failed to break its duck against Argentina whom they have now lost to four times at the FIFA World Cup tournaments.
It was a game played in frenetic pace,starting the best possible way for both countries who were favourites coming into the game to progress to the last 16.
Lionel Messi gave Argentina the lead,reacting first to a loose ball that bounced off the post from an Angel Di Maria's shot,but it was the Barcelona man who reacted first,stabbing in the rebound to give his side the lead.
It was Messi's 23rd goal for his country, and he later added a fourth which took his tally to 24 goals and four at this world cup tournament,making it four goals in three matches.
But instantaneously,Nigeria responded with a quality goal of their own. Ahmed Musa driving in from the left and getting the perfect bend off Pablo Zabaleta and curling it beyond Sergio Romero to equalize for the Super Eagles less than a minute later.
Both teams contained each other from then on,but Argentina was threatening each time they had possession.
Angel Di Maria in particular was a scare,trying long range shots that Vincent Enyeama dealt with.
Gonzalo Higuain came close circling Enyeama but his effort went out of goal.
Then came the onslaught of the maestro,Messi who took over and completely took out the Nigerian team.
A quick succession of free-kicks from Messi started rattling the Nigerians who didn't set up their wall well for those kicks.
Enyeama parried out Messi's first free-kick but he couldn't stop the second that left him helpless after sailing over the wall into the net.
But Nigeria started the second half brightly levelling the tie just moments after the restart.
Musa bagged his second goal of the game after he was played through on goal,showing great composure to find the wrong side of Romero to level for the Super Eagles.
It didn't last wrong as Argentina went back in front immediately with left back Marcos Rojo getting the last touch of a corner kick to knock down the ball beyond Enyeama into the net.
Di Maria continued trying from distance but Enyeama was equal to it denying the Real Madrid man.
Nigeria did not come back again but they held their own and was not disgraced by the superior South Americans who were the favourites coming into the encounter.
Despite the loss,Nigeria will have Bosnia to thank after they defeated Iran 3-1 in their own encounter which left Nigeria on four points to seal second spot.
Edin Dzeko opened the score for Bosnia to give them a 1-0 lead while Iran responded by hitting the crossbar.
Miralem Pjanić netted a second goal in the 59th but Iran pulled one back,their first goal at this tournament but it was not enough as Bosnia quickly added a third to end the tie.
Do you know that:
*Nigeria-Argentina is the first game in World Cup history in which both teams scored in the first five minutes.
*Also Nigeria has qualified for the second round of the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
