Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi
Nigeria qualified for the last 16 of the World Cup despite losing 3-2 to Argentina in their final group clash in Porto Alegre on Wednesday.
Ahmed Musa drew the Super Eagles level twice after a brace from Argentina’s Lionel Messi but Marcos Rojo sealed victory for the South Americans in an exciting final Group F match of the 2014 World Cup in Estadio Beira-Rio to see both sides advance to the Round of 16 of the tournament.
Nigeria will meet former champions France in the second round on Monday.
The Eagles’ qualification was made possible after Bosnia defeated hard-fighting Iran, who had a chance of also advancing to the next round, 3-1, in the other group game.
Argentina have beaten Nigeria thrice in previous editions of the competition- 1994, 2002 and 2010- and they confirmed their superiority again in a game that marked captain Joseph Yobo’s 100th cap for the Eagles.
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi started with the same team who began the match against Bosnia but it was Argentina who drew first blood in the third minute through the dangerous Messi.
Angel Di Maria’s effort at the near post beat Vincent Enyeama, hit the post, and then hit the back of the Nigeria goalkeeper before bouncing out to Messi, who smashed the rebound into the roof of the net.
But the African champions replied immediately, when Babatunde Michael embarked on a sizzling run from midfield before passing to CSKA forward, Ahmed Musa, who got the better of Pablo Zabaleta, before rifling home, giving Argentine keeper Romero no chance.
The South Americans piled on the pressure with Messi needing just a touch to Di Maria’s cross but the Barcelona man failed to make contact before Di Maria forced Enyeama to make a fantastic save from over 25 yards.
The two-time champions kept pressing for a second goal and it took a deflection from the impressive Juwon Oshaniwa off a Sergio Aguero’s shot to keep Nigeria on level terms in the 32nd minute.
Enyeama parried a Messi free kick in the 43rd minute and the Nigerians were punished for committing fouls close to their box, when Messi made no mistake this time around a minute later.
But it was Musa, who drew Nigeria level two minutes after the break when he latched onto Emmanuel Emenike’s long range pass between several Argentine legs before slotting past Romero.
Nigeria were behind again three minutes later from a corner kick, when the ball deflected in off Rojo’s knee after a header from Kenneth Omeruo failed to clear from danger.
Both sides played some exhilarating football afterwards with Musa close to getting his hat-trick 12 minutes from time after beating Zabaleta inside the box but the defender recovered quickly and blocked his shot.
Nigeria had a chance to draw level late on after Efe Ambrose found his way into the Argentine area but the right-back watched agonizingly as his shot was deflected for a corner kick three minutes from time.
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