Nigeria stun hosts Argentina in 2-0 defeat
The expectation was not that Argentina would score, but how many times they would score. They had been so prolific up to now in this tournament, and with the home crowd in their corner, it seemed a foregone conclusion that they would have their way with Nigeria.
The problem is that nobody seemed to tell the Nigerians that was the plan.
For their part, the African nation had their own plan, and they stuck rigorously to it, denying Argentina again and again any sort of access to their goal.
As the first half ended in stalemate, the feeling was that it was only a matter of time. And as the second half got under way, that indeed was the case. But it was the Nigerians who came out the composed side.
Their quickness to get bodies back in defense all night was impressive, as well as frustrating and fatiguing for Argentina. As the frustration mounted, the Nigerians were more and more free to make their own moves forward.
The stalemate turned to true horror for Argentina in the 60th minute when an Umeh Emmanuel through ball found Ibrahim Muhammad in space. The crowd fell silent when he slotted it past Gomes Gerth into the net.
Argentina’s frustration turned to desperation as chance after chance went begging, and Nigeria’s hope turned to elation when Rilwanu Sarki put his head onto the end of a squared ball by Victor Eletu.
This is a stunning victory for Nigeria, Argentina, and every other team in the tournament. If they thought that Nigeria were a pushover, they had better think again. Nigeria mean business.
