Nigeria have exited the 2018 World Cup in the group stage after they succumbed 2-1 to Argentina at the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday night.

‘La Albiceleste’ scored the winning goal late in the match to secure second spot on the Group D standings behind Croatia, who overcame Iceland in a simultaneous clash.

Argentina were the first to threaten in attack, with an eighth minute move seeing Ever Banega picking out a good pass for Nicolas Tagliafico, but the left-back blazed his shot wide of the near post.

On 14 minutes Banega played another great pass and this time Lionel Messi sprinted free of Nigeria’s defence before sending a right-footed shot beyond the reach of goalkeeper Francis Uzoho to put the South Americans in the lead.

Messi almost went from scorer to provider in the 27th minute as he played a perfectly-weighted ball to put Gonzalo Higuain in on goal, but Uzuho came quickly off his line and bravely smothered the ball at the striker’s feet.

The Argentina number 10 almost racked up a second goal for himself in the 34th minute, sending a shot direct from a kick onto the woodwork.

Nigeria had been outplayed in the first half, but they started the second strongly and earned a penalty in the 49th minute, with Javier Mascherano hauling down Leon Balogun at a corner kick. Victor Moses coolly dispatched the spot kick to make it 1-1 after 51 minutes.

Twenty minutes later, with Argentina dominating possession, the Super Eagles almost claimed a second goal. A counter attack ended with midfielder Wilfred Ndidi sending a powerful long-range shot just over the crossbar.

Argentina created a great chance to reclaim the lead in the 81st minute, with Max Meza’s low cut-back from the left picking out Higuain, but the veteran striker fired his shot high over the target. Two minutes later a mistake at the other end let substitute Odion Ighalo in on goal, but he was denied from a tight angle by goalkeeper Franco Armani.

The match looked destined for a draw, but Argentina struck a late winner through Marcos Rojo. The defender met a cross from right-back Gabriel Mercado and swept home a low volley to make it 2-1 in the 86th minute and secure progression for ‘La Albiceleste’.

Nigeria (0) 1 (Moses pen 51’)

Argentina (1) 2 (Messi 14’, Rojo 86’)

Nigeria: Uzoho, Balogun, Troost-Ekong, Omeruo (Iwobi 90’), Moses, Etebo, Mikel, Ndidi, Idowu, Iheanacho (Ighalo 46’), Musa (Nwankwo 90+2’)
Argentina: Armani, Mercado, Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico (Aguero 80’), Perez (Pavon 61’), Mascherano, Banega, Di Maria (Meza 72’), Messi, Higuain

Nigeria will look to claim a place in the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup when they take on Argentina in their final Group D clash on Tuesday, set for the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg. Kick-off is at 20h00 CAT.

Nigeria opened their campaign with a poor showing against Croatia, succumbing 0-2 in Kaliningrad thanks to an unfortunate own goal from Oghenekaro Etebo and a penalty from Luka Modric.

But they bounced back to form in great style on Friday with a 2-0 win over Iceland in Volgograd, with Ahmed Musa scoring his second World Cup brace (his first was against Argentina four years ago), to put them in a position where advancement from the group is in their own hands.

The Super Eagles will definitively advance if they win, while a draw will be enough if leaders Croatia (who are already through to the next round) either avoid defeat, or only lose by a one-goal margin, in the other Group D game against Iceland – this clash will be played simultaneously in Rostov-on-Don.

Argentina come into the game in deep trouble, having picked up just one point from their opening two matches. Their disappointing 1-1 draw against Iceland could have been written off as a team finding their feet early in the tournament, but the 3-0 loss to Croatia on Thursday would have been considered a national embarrassment in the football-crazy country.

The South Americans must win to have any chance of advancing, and even that may not be enough, depending on whether or not Iceland can get three points at the Rostov Arena.

In head-to-head terms, Nigeria and Argentina have met in eight matches, according to FIFA’s statistics database. The ‘Albiceleste’ have claimed five wins compared to two for the ‘Super Eagles’, while just one game has been drawn.

This will be the fifth time the teams have met in the World Cup, dating back to Nigeria’s debut in 1994. The bad news for the African team is that Argentina have emerged victorious all four times the sides have crossed swords in the ‘Mundial’, including a 3-2 triumph at the 2014 finals in Brazil, where Lionel Messi netted two goals.

However, Nigeria can take some hope from the most recent meeting of the teams: a friendly in Krasnodar, Russia, in November last year which saw the ‘Super Eagles’ come from 0-2 down to win 4-2, thanks to goals from Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi (two) and Brian Idowu.

Nigeria v Argentina – head-to-head


Matches played 8

Nigeria wins 2

Argentina wins 5

Draws 1

Nigeria goals 12

Argentina goals 13