Nigeria’s match against Argentina turns out to be the most dramatic game in the World Cup as both teams look to lock place in the round of 16.
After losing to Croatia by three goals, the Latin American team has no option other than winning to have any chance of going to to the next round.
Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr is optimistic his side can eliminate Argentina, even though they have never beaten them in a World Cup fixture.
"That sort of a run has to end sometime," he said in an interview with FIFA.
"We are confident because we beat Argentina in a friendly (in Russia) last year, coming back from 2-0 down to win 4-2," Leo Messi didn't play, but we scored four wonderful goals and that gives us hope," added Rohr.The Nigerian coach insisted his side were still the underdogs against Argentina, who have only one point from 2 matches after drawing 1-1 against Iceland and losing 3-0 to Croatia.
"You have to put Argentina's so-called weakness into perspective. They had bad luck with the penalty in their first game, and the outcome would've been different if that had gone in," he explained, adding that Messi is "one of the best players in the world" and that Argentina have "unbelievable quality throughout the team."
Nigeria will look to counter Messi and company with "youthful abandon, enthusiasm and desire. Most of our players want to get to where the Argentinians already are: the very top," commented Rohr, who believes the match will be a showcase for the talent in his squad.
"The whole world will be watching this game and it's a chance to show what we're capable of," he concluded.