Batistuta Comes Through Again

(Sunday, June 2, 2002) - A second-half header by forward Gabriel Batistuta gave World Cup favorites Argentina a narrow, win over a determined Nigeria side in Ibaraki, Japan in the opening match of the "Group of Death" - Group F. The game-winning goal came off a Juan Sebastian Veron corner kick which Batistuta latched onto at the far right post. The win will give Argentina confidence as it heads into its next match against England on June 7 - the most anticipated match of the first round.

Both sides played attacking soccer with Argentina creating more clear-cut scoring chances, largely behind the playmaking abilities of captain Veron and Ariel Ortega in midfield.

Nigeria goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu played a fine match, turning away several Argentina efforts over the course of the match. A Nigeria turnover off a throw-in in the 30th minute gave Ortega a chance to fire a screamer from 25 yards out that Shorunmu blocked for a corner.

Nigeria's Jay-Jay Okocha matched Ortega’s effort just two minutes later. After a solo run on which he dribbled by two defenders to create space for himself, he sent a rocket from 25 yards out which Argentine goalkeeper Pablo Cavallero only just deflected over the bar with his fingertips.

Nigeria suffered a blow just after the interval, as striker Nwankwo Kanu had to come off because of an injury he had sustained in the first half, forcing an early substitution.

Argentina twice almost got the first goal in the opening minutes of the second half. First a sliding Batistuta couldn’t get enough of the ball to send it inside the right post. It was one of several half-chances that Batistuta had muffed, while forward Hernan Crespo warmed up on the sideline. Nigeria had done well to frustrate its opponents. Crespo would late takes Batistuta's place on the field, only after Batigol left his mark.

Then in the 48th minute Juan Pablo Sorin rose above the defenders but flicked his header wide of the far post. Sorin had another fine play in the 61st minute when Ortega lofted in a neat chip pass to the Cruzeiro man, but he fired his shot from nearly 20 yards right at Shorunmu.

Batistuta finally got Argentina’s goal in the 63rd minute when it seemed they would not convert on this day. Veron served in a corner kick from the left side, and the A.S. Roma forward rose above teammate Mauricio Pochettino near the far post, heading the ball past Shorunmu. The Roma star has now scored 10 World Cup goals and at least one in three different tournaments. He also extended his all-time record for most goals in an Argentine uniform to 56 goals in 76 appearances.

Nigeria seemed to come alive after the Argentina goal, and they began producing their best attacking play of the match. The best look at goal fell to the foot of Okocha from 25 yards, but his shot flew high and wide in the 75th minute.

Argentina would not back down, however, and confidently managed the final stages of the match, generating some opportunities of its own, as the team comes away with an important victory against dangerous opposition.

More on the Kanu injury:

Nigerian Head Coach Adegboye Onigbinde pointed to Nwankwo Kanu's first-half injury as a key factor in his team's loss. Early in the match, the Arsenal forward was seen visibly limping and clutching his back at times. His condition meant that he dropped back into the midfield, making the Nigerian attack disappear with the move. Onigbinde said that Kanu had been elbowed on the side and that the area was swollen.

"It was like playing with 10 men and we had to go more on the defense," Onigbinde said. "Still, we probably should have been sharper up front."

"Losing the first match will certainly motivate us," the coach continued. "I see this as a challenge. We'll have to intensify our training because we know we have to win the remaining two matches to remain in the competition."

Notes:

ARG: The shutout win was Argentina's third consecutive one in a World Cup opener and Gabriel Batistuta has scored in all three ... Batistuta is tied for sixth place all-time with his 10th career World Cup goal ... Argentina played without defender Roberto Ayala, who pulled out of the lineup due to a twinge in his thigh

NIG: The match marked the first time Nigeria was held scoreless in a World Cup match ... The loss is Nigeria's third consecutive one in World Cup play ... The Super Eagles are 0-2-0 all-time against Argentina in World Cup play