Argentina vs Nigeria Match Preview
After two consecutive defeats, Nigeria will be looking forward to even the score with the Albiceleste. Lionel Messi's squad need a victory to be taken seriously as a candidate.
A huge step for Argentina
Argentina has a clean sheet on its confrontations with African teams, having won 75% of the matches played against teams of the Black Country. Two years ago these two teams took on each other to define Beijing's Olympic Games, in which Argentina claimed the gold medal. This was a response to the Atlanta '96 match which ended with glory for Nigeria. Two years ago Angel Di Maria scored the winning goal, something he'll be looking forward to repeating for this world's debut.
Maradona has the team almost confirmed. Sergio Romero will be the man between the posts, and after having chosen four full-centrals to guard the back line, team's coach finally decided to force Jonas Gutierrez to lead Argentina's right band both in the attack and defense. Walter Samuel and Martin Demichellis will occupy the center of the area, with Nicolas Otamendi filling the last place. This is a classic 4-4-2 formation with a twist, for Gutierrez's versatility offers the team the opportunity to advance as a 3-3-2-2.
Javier Mascherano and Juan Sebastian Veron are the backbone of Argentina's midfield creation. Angel Di Maria is the bridge between them and Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuain, top strikers in the Spanish league. By relegating Jonas Gutierrez to the defense Maradona frees another offensive place, which is occupied by Carlos Tevez for the moment: He is the striker with most experience in the National Team and people's favorite. Messi's lack of results have turned the Argentineans against him, and the pressure of having to make things right might be too much for such a young player.
Saturday morning will have the Albiceleste with Maradona back in a world championship after more than a decade. Argentina's new generation will be welcomed in Africa by a team determined to retain what is theirs against the second most expensive formation in South Africa.
Life without Okocha
Lars Lagerback has already tasted Argentinean blood 8 years ago, when he eliminated the Albicelestes in 2002, back in his days as Swedish coach. This will be their fourth world championship, having missed the last World Cup for the first time in 16 years.
Nigeria responds to the classic African style: solid defenders in the middle of the field and strikers light as feathers. Victor Obinna was the captain in the last Olympic games, and he will probably by the offensive lighthouse to whom Peter Odemwingie and Obafemi Martins will subordinate. These three strikers have an insane speed and good definition, but their place will have to be carefully guarded, for there's only one survivor from the golden days in the squad in it's Nkankwo Kanu, whose technical superiority might completely turn a match around if given a change.
Chelsea's John Obi Mikel is the key player in this team, for his position as defensive midfielder and his long field of view and witness creates a center from where creation can flow. Another player from the Premier League, Dickson Etuhu will contribute to Nigeria's ball flow. His good moment with Europa League's finalist Fulham City earned him a place in Lagerback's Nigeria.
Lagerback's assistant Roland Andersson warned Nigeria's coach about Argentina's weak spot: its defense. "We must defy Argentina and adopt an offensive position" regarding Albiceleste's attack, team's assistant recognized Argentina's lack of efficiency. Nigerian players appear also to be quite confident for this match, and the boost from defeating a giant could be enormous.
Murdered by numbers
Statistic show without a doubt a wide advantage for the American team, but these two formations had their problems from claiming their place in the championship to begin with, and thus nothing can be taken for granted. In fact, Nigeria played eight matches against these three rivals, and could only claim one victory. Argentina is not going through its best moment, but the weight of their figures will probably lean the game on Maradona's side, who faced these three rivals six times – five victories, one draw.
