Argentina Vow To Beat Nigeria Again

As Nigeria and Argentina get set to renew their football rivalry this evening in an international friendly at the Abuja National Stadium, the South Americans are already talking tough, vowing to defeat the hosts again not minding that the encounter holds in Nigeria.

Stand-in captain of the team, Paulo Zabaleta and Coach Sergio Batista have declared that they would definitely come out victorious in tonight’s clash despite not playing the friendly tie with their top stars.

The duo, who spoke with P.M Sports early today at their Transcorp Hilton Hotel camp, said they have trained, perfected their strategies and are determined to beat Nigeria, who are preparing for their 5 June Gabon/Equatorial Guinea 2012 Nations Cup qualifier against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa.

According to Zabaleta, who helped Manchester City win the English F.A Cup, Nigerians should not see the Argentine team as a weak one; the squad are good enough to defeat the Super Eagles in tonight’s game.

Zabaleta admitted that the Eagles are a very physical and talented side, but he is sure that they would maintain their tradition of beating Nigeria.

“It is a great thing that we have a better history against Nigeria, I’m also glad that our government allowed us to come to Nigeria and honour this match. We are prepared to beat Nigeria again and tonight’s match would not be a different one.”

Corroborating his skipper’s stand, the coach, Batista, who took over from Diego Maradona after Argentina was eliminated from the South Africa 2010 World Cup, said he is aware that Nigeria equally have good players playing abroad, but he is not afraid.

In the words of the 1986 World Cup winner with Argentina, “Nigeria have the tradition of beating top teams. I also know that their strikers are deadly in front of goal but tonight, it would be a total war.”

Responding, Coach Samson Siasia said: “I know that the Argentines are very sleek, fragile, tricky and deadly with the ball, but we are going to score early goals to unsettle them.”

Former captain of the Eagles, Austin Okocha tipped the Nigerian team to defeat Argentina tonight. The former Bolton Wanderer of England’s skipper said that Siasia and his team have what it take to cause upset in the friendly match.

—Tunde Oyedele/Abuja