Nigeria 2 Argentina 3: Eagles Undone by Messi and Set Pieces

In a nutshell, the Eagles were undone by two Lionel Messi goals and a set-piece, the very two things my match preview had warned about, but Nigeria gave a good account of themselves in this close game that secured a second round place for both teams.

Keshi stuck to the same line up, Babatunde continuing in midfield, and Yobo adding another cap alongside Omeruo in central defence.
Argentina were also unchanged, Alex Sabella sticking to the 4-3-3 that had served them well in qualifying.

The game had hardly settled before both teams struck, yet even the manner in which they scored foretold of the approach each team would take throughout this game. Argentina patiently passed the ball around looking to feed Messi in that pocket of space just ahead of the Nigerian defence. The Eagles pressed high up the field, forcing Fernandez to hit a long pass forward. Yobo’s header took the ball back to the centre circle and Mascherano quickly picked out di Maria, unmarked wide on the left – because right back Efe Ambrose had tucked in too far. Enyeama got a hand to the shot but when the rebound came back off the upright Messi was perfectly placed to strike a rising volley into the net. Just 3 minutes had gone by.

Another minute later, Messi’s attempt to dribble through the Nigerian back line was stopped, allowing Ambrose to march forward with the ball, and pass to Babatunde. As his run drew in Zabaleta from right back, Babatunde poked the ball wide to Musa and the speedy winger cut inside the retreating Zabaleta before curling an unstoppable shot past Romero.

And so it continued; Argentina patiently cycled the ball, with Mascherano the midfield fulcrum, and tried to spring Messi between the lines. And when the little no. 10 received the ball – and the inevitable attention he attracts – he looked to slip in passes for his teammates to profit from. He set di Maria up for a fierce 25-yard drive in the 8th minute, and put Higuain through in the Nigerian box just a minute later. Enyeama, at his brilliant best, was up to the task on both occasions.

Nigeria was all about the quick transition, just as they showed with that equalising goal. Onazi, in particular, looked to set up attacks as soon as the ball was won. He took a ball off di Maria in the 6th minute and tried to pick out Emenike right away, and another interception in the 10th minute led to another long pass in the direction of the Nigerian no.9.

The overly direct play meant that it took 20 minutes for Nigeria to have any period of prolonged possession in the Argentina half, and even that ended when Onazi elected to shoot wildly from 30 yards. Two minutes later, Babatunde tried to dink a pass over the top to Emenike, when it would have been wiser to go wide, and the ball ran out of play.

They showed much better patience around the 24th minute mark when Mikel, Emenike and Odemwingie worked the ball down the right flank and back to the middle, before the Chelsea man ultimately gave it away with a poor touch.

The Eagles showed better composure defensively though, and even if Enyeama was the busier of the keepers, he mostly had to deal with shots from distance, particularly from di Maria. The Real Madrid man sent one shot wide of goal in the 25th minute, and drew another fine save from Enyeama - from 30 yards – in the 30th minute.

Argentina’s narrow attack made the task more straightforward, but that changed when Lavezzi replaced the injured Aguero in the 38th minute and started stretching Oshaniwa on the right flank. Omeruo was majestic throughout though, his anticipation, timing and speed, helping to cut out several Argentine crosses and attacks.

Of course, he had no choice but to foul Messi to concede the free kick from which he scored Argentina’s second goal just before the break. Enyeama had saved a similar free kick just two mnutes earlier, but could do nothing about Messi’s perfect delivery.

Nigeria started the second half looking to impose their game more in the Argentina half. Full backs Ambrose and Oshaniwa appeared to have pushed further forward even in the two minutes played before Musa scored to tie the game. Again, it was direct running at the Argentina defence that yielded dividend as Musa swapped passes with Emenike before sending the Romero the wrong way from about 12 yards out. Musa’s speed has always put him in good positions, only for his finishing and general decision making to let him down. So it was particularly pleasing to see him hesitate long enough to send Romero diving – and compose himself – before putting this chance away.

If Messi’s second goal had come at the worst possible time for the Eagles, Musa’s rapid equaliser came at a very good time. But it didn’t last. Lavezzi continued to stretch the Eagles on the flank and it was a foul on him, by Omeruo, that ultimately led to the winning goal just three minutes later. Messi’s free kick was well defended by Emenike’s header but Ambrose made a mess of the clearance, effectively passing the ball to di Maria, whose 25 yard drive was tipped over by Enyeama.

It was from the ensuing corner kick that Rojo, inadvertently, scored the winner, making it three straight World Cup games in which Argentina have beaten Nigeria with a goal scored from a corner kick.

The Eagles had more possession after that, with Argentina sitting back and looking to hit them on the break, stretching the Eagles with di Maria and Rojo on the left, and Lavezzi down the right. They came close too: Higuain had another effort saved by Enyeama in the 58th minute, after Messi gave Onazi the slip, and Messi himself went close from a Rojo cross after good work by di Maria.
Omeruo was prominent again, stopping a dangerous di Maria counter in the 61st minute, and nipping in to cut out some fancy passing between Lavezzi and Alvarez in the 69th.

Mikel had missed a glorious chance from a corner kick earlier, in the 61st minute, when he tried to lob the keeper from just six yards out - or was that a cross? Sometimes - as Luis Suarez showed against England - it’s just best to put the laces through the ball and see what happens.

The Eagles best spell of the match came in the last 25 minutes or so – after Messi left the game. That they won 3 of their 4 corner kicks during this spell is telling. They showed a little more patience, kept possession for longer spells in the Argentina half, and produced a few scoring opportunities. Onazi almost profited from another quick transition in the 68th minute, just leaving the ball behind after a pass from Emenike; Musa, under pressure, blazed a half-volley over the top from 20 yards in the 73rd minute, after Onazi stopped di Maria and fed Odemwingie to cross; and another quick transition, after Uchebo stole the ball off Mascherano, and involving Odemwingie and a superb through ball by Emenike, saw Musa’s shot blocked by a lunging Zabaleta with 11 minutes left.

Argentina showed great game management though, taking their time in possession, and carefully choosing their moments to attack. They created a couple of chances too – Enyeama saved a Lavezzi volley after a well worked free-kick routine, and Garay headed wide when left unmarked in the box.

At the other end, the Eagles created one more opening, with three minutes left, after more patient approach play involving Onazi and Emenike released Ambrose in the box only for his shot to be deflected for a corner kick.

Overall, it was decent performance against a good team. The Eagles didn’t do too much wrong on the defensive end, evidenced by all those long range efforts the Argentines had to resort to. On the few occasions on which they got through, they found Enyeama in solid form. Messi, for all his menace, had a total of 4 shots with three on target. Of those three, two were from direct free kicks and the other was for the first goal. Of course, at this level, even the smallest of slips could be costly and, Messi being Messi, those small numbers were enough to do the damage.

On the offensive end, the Eagles showed what a threat they could pose when they marry quick, accurate passing with the pace and power they carry up front – especially if they can also finish like Musa did, with composure and precision.
As the first half showed, though, they’ll have to balance the speed of their transition play with accuracy and patience. And Mikel will need to stop turning the ball over at the slightest hint of pressure.

Man of the Match honours would surely go to Ahmed Musa for those two well-taken goals, but also deserving of special mention are Ogenyi Onazi, for his energy and positive play, and Kenneth Omeruo, for another imposing display at the back.