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Argentine defender
Nicolas Burdisso has declared Saturday’s World Cup opener against the
Super Eagles in Johannesburg a must win encounter for the South
Americans if they are to have a successful campaign in South Africa.

The Albiceleste are
one of the favourites for the World Cup, and are widely expected to
qualify from Group B where they have for company Nigeria, Greece and
South Korea. Argentina’s quest for a third World Cup title, and their
first since 1986, begins on Saturday with a tie against the Super
Eagles at Ellis Park and most pundits expect them to secure a win
against a Nigerian side that has always lost to South American
opposition at the World Cup.

Nigeria’s South American hoodoo

The Super Eagles
lost 2-1 to Argentina at their debut World Cup appearance in 1994
before losing 3-1 to another South American side, Paraguay four years
later at France 98. This was followed by a 1-0 loss to the Argentines
in both sides opening match of the 2002 World Cup co-hosted by South
Korea and Japan, where the Super Eagles and the Albicelestes failed to
advance beyond the first round. Despite parading a star studded side
and playing a brand of football that was pleasing to the eye, it was
the first time since the 1962 tournament in Chile that the Argentines
didn’t qualify for the knockout rounds of the World Cup.

And as they get set
to meet the Super Eagles for the third time in the World Cup, Inter
Milan defender Burdisso has told his team-mates that victory over the
Nigerian side, and not playing well is all that matters, even though he
admits it will be a difficult task getting a win over the Super Eagles.

Win first, entertain later

“I give more value
to starting the tournament with a win than to playing well,” said
Burdisso in an interview with Fifa.com. “There is a lot of anxiety and
to start with a win would mean a lot to us. We must win our first game
and although it will be difficult, we have to know that a good result
is all that matters.”

The Argentines, who are in South Africa with a team comprising of
some of the best players on the planet such as current World and
European Player of the Year, Lionel Messi; Real Madrid’s leading scorer
from the just concluded season, Gonzalo Higuain; and Inter Milan’s
Champions League final hero, Diego Milito. There’s also Manchester
City’s Carlos Tevez, Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano, as well as Atletico
Madrid’s Sergio Aguero who is the son in-law of their superstar coach
Diego Maradona.