Uncategorized

Do you see Nigeria advancing pass the round 16 in the ongoing FIFA world cup?

Published

11 years ago

June 25, 2014

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have qualified for the second round of the Fifa World Cup for the first time since 1998, despite losing to Argentina in a pulsating encounter on Wednesday.
Marcos Rojo scored the winner for Argentina as the South American giants beat a resilient Nigeria side 3-2 to earn top spot in Group F of the 2014 Fifa World Cup.
Ahmed Musa and Lionel Messi both scored braces in the game that was characterised by the opening sequences in both halves of the match.
Both coaches went with an unchanged line-ups from the previous games as Alejandro Sabella looked to tie up the top spot in Group F of the 2014 World Cup.
Lionel Messi got Argentina off the mark in the second minute of the match hitting home a rebound after Vincent Enyeama had parried a stinging shot unto the post.
The goal seem to have spurred the Super Eagles as they equalised moments later through Musa who curled a superb shot into goalkeeper Sergio Romero’s bottom left corner to equalise for Nigeria.
Argentina upped the tempo and were nearly rewarded in the 8th minute but Vincent Enyeama did well to save Di Maria’s shot.
The Albiceleste controlled the better part of the first half but Nigeria did have her moments through efforts by Peter Odemwingie and Ogenyi Onazi but did little to trouble Argentina.
Vincent Enyeama saved Nigeria’s blushes with a superb save from a Lionel Messi free kick in the 43rd minute but could do little two minutes later when Messi curled in over the wall with Enyeama stranded to make it 2-1 to Argentina and score his fourth of the tournament.
The second half went off like fireworks as Musa scored his second goal of the game just two minutes after the restart as he ran through to collect Emmanuel Emenike’s pass to coolly slot past Sergio Romero to make it 2-2.
Angel Di Maria replied for Argentina with a stinging shot that Enyeama did well to palm away as the Albiceleste tried to get their heads back in the game.
Marcos Rojo put Argentina back in the lead from a Lionel Messi corner kick in the 49th minute and put Nigeria’s hope’s of a second round berth on a burner.
Mikel Obi had a glorious chance to get Nigeria back on level terms in the 60th minute after finding himself free in the Argentine box but chose to try lob Romero instead of looking for a teammate.
Musa then had an opportunity in the 74th minute but shot high after collecting a cross from Peter Odemwingie as the Eagles went in search of a third equaliser.
The CSKA Moscow forward had another crack at goal but Javier Mascherono did well to block his shot as Argentina threatened from the other end through Gonzalo Higuain.
Angel Di Maria and Efe Ambrose both came to scoring from both ends as the game fizzled out to give Argentina the maximum points in the group and hand Nigeria her first loss in the tournament.
Do you see Nigeria advancing pass the round 16 in the ongoing FIFA world cup?