Nigeria Content Online

As
the Super Eagles gear up for the June 1 friendly match with Argentina,
first vice-chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation, Frank Umeh
believes that the Nigerian team can earn a rare victory over the
two-time former world champions.

“Argentines are not magicians; we can beat them,” he said.

“With adequate preparation for the match and the full commitment of the players we can talk of victory.”

Already the Super
Eagles coach, Samson Siasia is expected to make public this week, the
list of players that will be playing the highly anticipated friendly
match, with Wigan forward Victor Moses expected to make the list ahead
of his debut for Nigeria.

The Super Eagles
were defeated 1-0 the last time they faced the Argentines at the 2010
World Cup; a match that witnessed a string of spectacular saves from
Hapoel Tel Aviv shot stopper Vincent Enyeama who emerged as Nigeria’s
hero on the day.

Time and time
again, Enyeama prevented the Argentineans, in particular two-time
reigning FIFA Player of the Year, Lionel Messi, from hitting the back
of the Nigerian net.

And the Nigerian
shot stopper, who was in a Lagos yesterday to attend a function, said
he was also looking forward to the match and hopes for a favourable
result.

“It’s going to be great match, I am really looking forward to the match,” he said.

Enyeama against Messi

Asked about the
secret of his splendid display last time out against the Argentines,
Enyeama said his personal resolve to put smiles on the faces of
Nigerians accounted for his heroics.

“It wasn’t about
not allowing Messi to score or any other thing, I just wanted to put
smiles on the face of Nigerians and that was all I did even though we
eventually lost,” he said.

Aside the June 1
date, the Super Eagles are still expected to play another exhibition
match with Argentina in Bangladesh later in December.

Although Nigerian
and Argentinean teams have met on a number of occasions, especially at
age-grade level, the first game between both countries at senior level
was at the 1994 World Cup in the United States of America where the
South Americans ran out 2-1 winners after current Super Eagles coach,
Siasia had shot the Super Eagles into the lead.

Then came a
goalless draw the following year at the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, the
forerunner to the present-day FIFA Confederation Cup, before a 1-0 win
by the Argentineans at the 2002 World Cup.

That was the last time both sides met at senior level until last year’s World Cup encounter.