Argentina 3-2 Nigeria: Lionel Messi scores brilliant brace to help Alejandro Sabella's side win third successive Group F match
- Lionel Messi scores twice to help Argentina defeat Nigeria
- Ahmed Musa also bags a brace during pulsating Group F clash
- Both Argentina and Nigeria have qualified for the last 16
Argentina 3-2 Nigeria: Match Zone
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Unless he takes drastic action it might prove rather difficult for Alejandro Sabella to stop his players relying too much on Lionel Messi.
Dropping him is probably the only solution, such is the impact Argentina’s magical captain is beginning to have at this World Cup.
After scoring the winning goal in his side’s first two Group F encounters, Messi was at it again here at a pulsating Estadio Beira-Rio.
Only this time he struck twice before Marcos Rojo stepped forward to settle another utterly absorbing encounter and become only the second Argentina player to score at these finals.
If anything, Sabella needs to focus his attention more at the opposite end of the field. He might concern himself with the fact that Sergio Aguero limped off the pitch in the first half with what looked like another muscle injury; a worry for Manchester City too given the problems their striker has endured this past year.
VIDEO Scroll down to watch as the Argentina fans arrived for their side's third victory
Star: Lionel Messi (above) hit a brilliant double to help Argentina defeat Nigeria
Main man: Messi (right) put his side into a 1-0 with this strike after just three minutes
Punished: The 26-year-old's strike sails past Vincent Enyeama in the Nigeria goal
Thank you: Messi points to the sky in celebration after his first goal of the game
VIDEO All Star XI: Lionel Messi
Match facts
Argentina (4-3-3): Romero 7; Zabaleta 6, Federico Fernandez 5, Garay 5, Rojo 6; Gago 7, Mascherano 6, Di Maria 8; Messi 9 (Alvarez 19 6), Higuain 6 (Biglia 90 6), Aguero 6 (Lavezzi 37 7).
Subs not used: Orion, Campagnaro, Perez, Maxi Rodriguez, Augusto Fernandez, Demichelis, Palacio, Basanta, Andujar.
Goals: Messi 3, 45', Rojo 50'
Manager: A Sabella 6
Nigeria (4-5-1): Enyeama 7; Ambrose 6, Yobo 6, Oshaniwa 5, Omeruo 6; Odemwingie 6 (Nwofor 80 6), Onazi 6, Mikel 6, Babatunde 7 (Uchebo 66 6), Musa 8; Emenike 7.
Subs not used: Ejide, Uzoenyi, Gabriel, Egwuekwe, Odunlami, Oboabona, Azeez, Ameobi, Agbim.
Man of the match: Messi
Manager: S Keshi 7
Bookings: Omeruo, Oshaniwa
Goals: Musa 4', 47'
Referee: Nicola Rizzoli
*Player ratings by MATT LAWTON at Porto Alegre
But Sabella should start to recognise the contribution of Angel di Maria in his side’s attacking play and demand that his defenders start to perform to the same high standard.
As dramatic a game as this was, it exposed the defensive frailties we witnessed in Argentina’s first two games.
The back four creaked against Bosnia and Herzegovina and owed much to the goalkeeping heroics of Sergio Romero to stop Iran from scoring.
In Messi, of course, we have a player capable of doing for Argentina what Diego Maradona once did in Mexico 28 years ago.
A player seemingly ready to display that remarkable ability on the grandest stage of all.
He might have been a little slow to get going in this tournament but he is gathering momentum now and very much leading his team from the front.
As well as being his fourth of the tournament thus far, Messi’s second was his tenth in eight international appearances and his 42nd in 89 in total; a better return and a better ratio than Maradona and second only to Gabriel Batistuta on Argentina’s all-time list.
Messi might have scored more on Wednesday but Sabella took the sensible decision to take him off after 63 minutes.
Jubilant: Messi (left), Di Maria (centre) and Marcos Rojo celebrate the opening goal
Double: Ahmed Musa (left) grabbed his first World Cup brace to give Nigeria hope
But if a side that moves into the last 16 as group winners, with nine points, is to make it all the way to Rio on July 13, Sabella needs to apply some discipline to a back four that has a tendency to go missing a bit.
Inspired, no doubt, by a crowd dominated by the blue and white stripes of Argentina – apparently some 200,000 supporters have made the 500 mile journey from their border to the west of Porto Alegre – Messi struck after just three minutes.
Racing onto a super pass from Fernando Gago, Di Maria unleashed a shot that hit the post and rebounded back against it after striking Vincent Enyeama on the back and then bounced into the path of the advancing Messi, who with his left foot simple drove the ball into the roof of the net.
Timing: The bomb was an hour before Nigeria's football team (pictured) played in the World Cup, losing 3-2
Lucky: Marcos Rojo (centre) managed to knee the ball home to put Argentina back into the lead
In the lead: Rojo (left) beats his chest after scoring for Argentina in the Group F match
Strike: Ahmed Musa scored in the fourth minute to pull Nigeria back into the game
But within 60 seconds Nigeria had levelled to make this the first match in World Cup history to see both teams score inside the first five minutes.
While it was a goal that was stunning in its execution, it also owed much to Argentina’s failure to close down their opponents.
Michael Babatunde – who sadly would leave the field in the second half with what looked like a fractured arm after being struck be a fast-moving ball – surged forward unopposed before feeding a pass into Ahmed Musa, who in turn would be allowed to take a couple of steps inside before curling a stunning shot beyond the reach of a diving Romero.
Other chances would then follow for Argentina, with Di Maria particularly impressive alongside the genius that is Messi. And after 37 minutes Aguero would drop to the ground with nobody near him, suggesting that he had indeed pulled something.
Finish: Pablo Zabaleta (centre) is unable to stop Musa's fourth minute strike
Well done: The Nigerian players join Ahmed Musa in celebration after his first goal
Level: The Nigeria forward celebrates scoring his first goal of the game against Argentina
Argentina would continue to apply pressure, with the athletic Enyeama doing well to stop a Messi free-kick.
But no sooner than his team-mates applauded him for that save than another Messi delivery would prove beyond him. A breathtaking dead-ball delivery.
It amounted to a crushing blow to Nigeria, coming just moments before the break. But they responded brilliantly, Musa levelling just two minutes into the second half after accelerating onto a perfectly weighted, defence-splitting pass from Emmanuel Emenike.
Again, however, Argentina’s defenders, in particular Federico Fernandez and Rojo, should have been more alert to the danger.
Pain: Michael Babatunde was carried off on a stretched with an arm injury in the second half
Out: Michael Babatunde arm was heavily strapped as he was carried off the pitch
Sealed: Joseph Yobo gives Musa (right) a kiss on the forehead as his first goal of the game
My ball: Garay (left) Rojo (right) challenge Nigeria's forward Peter Odemwingie
So far, though, Argentina always seem to have an answer, their winner coming from a Ezequiel Lavezzi corner three minutes later. Ezequiel Garay got the flick on, with Rojo scoring off his thigh from close range.
Musa, excellent here on Wednesday, would almost hit back for Nigeria, Pablo Zabaleta denying him his hat-trick with a goalline block.
But in the end it did not prove too costly, Bosnia’s defeat of Iran meaning both these teams go through.
All arms and legs: Vincent Enyeama does his best to stop a Higuain strike
Surrounded: The Nigeria players attempt to get a bit closer to the Barcelona star
Battle: Ogenyi Onazi (left) challenges Angel di Maria during the first half of the Group F clash
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