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The Super Eagles
may have lost their opening match of the World Cup on Saturday to
Argentina, but they are still receiving plaudits for their performance
in the encounter that saw them limiting the Argentines to just one goal.

Latest to join in
the bandwagon is the Nigerian Sports Minister, Ibrahim Bio, who
commended the side for their spirited display against the two-time
world champions.

Bio, who also
doubles as chairman of the National Sports Commission, NSC, met with
the players at their Protea Hotel base camp in Richard’s Bay, on Monday
afternoon, and urged them to take heart over the defeat while also
encouraging them to give their very best in their upcoming games
against Greece and South Korea.

“In this spirit, I
urge you to have it in your minds that the government and people of
Nigeria are fully behind you in the campaign and will be looking
forward to your giving your best in the remaining two matches of the
group phase, in order for you to qualify for the knockout round,” said
Bio.

“I believe you can
do it, and I believe you will do it”, added the minister, who was
accompanied on the visit by the other top officials of the NSC,
including former Nigerian defender, Patrick Ekeji, who is now the
Director-General of the NSC.

On ground to
receive Bio and his entourage at the hotel was the Nigeria Football
Federation’s technical committee chairman, Taiwo Ogunjobi, also a
former Nigerian defender, who thanked the minister for coming while
also assuring him that the players are in the right spirit to go all
out and do the country proud in the games against Greece and Korea
Republic.

More praise for Enyeama

Vincent Enyeama was
the primary reason why the Super Eagles were able to limit the
Argentineans to just a solitary goal last Saturday, in a performance
that earned him not just the game’s Man of the Match award, but also a
much deserved recognition by the international media, after years of
being relegated to the background.

The latest plaudits
from the international media arrived in the form of South African
newspaper, The Sowetan, whose Monday described Enyeama as “The man who
stopped Messi in his tracks.” Messi, himself had in his own
commendation for the Super Eagles’ goal tender, whom he described as
“phenomenal”, but excerpts of the story in the newspaper read: “He may
be the Footballer of the Year, but on Saturday at the Ellis Park,
someone else was Man-of-the-Match.

“There was
widespread praise for the stunning goalkeeping of Israel-based Vincent
Enyeama, who pipped Argentine superstar Messi, whose team won 1-0, for
the official Man-of-the-Match honours.

“Enyeama, in goal for Nigeria, stared down the creative Argentines,
making fine saves, four of them from Messi, and almost helped Nigeria
to pull off a draw.”