Argentina is football’s two-time world champions having won the FIFA World Cup in 1978 and 1986. In their first time as champions, they were inspired by their home fans and in 1986, they had among them the then world best footballer in Diego Armando Maradona. The football pedigree of the Argentines cannot be ignored when the history of world football is being written.
In 1990, they reached the final of the Italia ’90 FIFA World Cup and went down to the powerful German machines inspired by Lothar Matheus and his fellow countrymen. They have produced wonderful footballers who excited the world of the game. Currently, they boost of having in the national team the current world’s best player and arguably one of the world’s most talented football player of all times, Lionel Messi. Any team that underrates the Argentines does so to its detriment.
In the 1994 World in USA, they were in Group D with Nigeria, Greece and Bulgaria. In their match with the Nigerians, they ran away with victory 2-1. The Nigerians qualified as leaders in the group with Argentina coming second. It was the first real international meeting between the two nations at the senior level. During the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup, Argentina and Nigeria met again at the group stage and the former continued their winning streak against the Africans with a 1-0 score line. In South Africa 2010, Nigeria and Argentina were drawn once again in the same group. The score line was a slim 1-0 win for the South Americans. It appeared the odds were stacked heavily against Nigeria in any of their matches with the Argentines.
Even at the age-grade levels, Nigeria has only recorded a single victory against Argentina. It was at the Atlanta Olympics football event in1996. The Nigerian Dream Team I had beaten almighty Brazil in the semi-finals and were drawn against Argentina in the final. Nigeria won that game 3-2. It was a pulsating game that drew the best out of the two teams.
However, in 2005, the two nations met at the U-20 FIFA World Youth Championship final and the South Americans won the trophy 1-0. The Nigerian team was then tutored by Coach Samson Siasia. At the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Nigeria and Argentina met at the final and it ended Argentina 1, Nigeria 0. From all available history of the meeting of Nigeria and Argentina, the former world champions had the head to head advantage.
The Game-Changer
It was therefore very interesting when Guinness, the brewing giant as part of its 50th Anniversary of doing business in Nigeria decided to organize an international friendly between the Nigerian Super Eagles and the Argentine Senior National Team in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The hype the match created reached fever pitch. Match Date was Wednesday, June 1 and venue was the Abuja National Stadium. Key players were missing in the Argentine line-up such as Lionel Messi, Mascherano and Tervez. But an Argentine team playing an international friendly without the trio cannot be ignored because of the football culture that exists in that country. Put that side by side with the fact that the Nigerian team had suffered successive defeats in the hands of the South Americans and you would not give the Nigerians much chance.
However, on the dot of the 12th of play, Nigeria’s Ike Uche opened score for Nigeria. Midway into the first half, pressure mounted by the highly spirited and coordinated Nigerian side on the Argentines resulted in a penalty kick award against the visiting team. Score line as at the 25th minute was Nigeria 2, Argentina 0.
Playing one of their best matches in recent history, the Super Eagles dominated the midfield and dictated the pace of the game as they played possessive football with accurate passes. By the 40th minute of the first half, Obinna Nsofor in a run towards the left flank and a coordinated move with Taye Taiwo, the latter located lifted the ball across the eighteen yard box and it found the head of Ikechukwu Uche who was alone and he nodded home the third goal of the match. The Argentines were indeed in for a routing!
By regulation time of 45 minutes, the game stood at Nigeria 3, Argentina 0. It was unbelievable and unimaginable but it was true.
There was a goal apiece between the two teams in the second half with the Argentine scoring a penalty awarded them in the extra time of the game and the match ended 4-1 in favour of Nigeria. It was a momentous occasion for the Super Eagles. Yes indeed, it was a friendly match but their history with the visitors made the match look almost like a cup final. Guinness added flavor to the victory as they presented to the Eagles a Guinness trophy and the players celebrated through the night after Nigeria’s Vice President, Namadi Sambo presented the trophy to Captain Joseph Yobo.
This was how the winning streak against Nigeria by Argentina decimated on the night of June 1, 2011 at the National Stadium Abuja. Future encounters between the two teams will determine which way the pendulum will swing.
