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Super Eagles to face Messi again

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As 2014 World Cup draw pitches Nigeria with Argentina, Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Ikpeba reacts: Nigeria won’t fail

The Groups

 

Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon

 

Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia

 

Group C: Colombia, Greece, Côte d’Ivoire, Japan

 

Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy

 

Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras

 

Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria

 

Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA

 

Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic

Nigeria’s Super Eagles were handed another World Cup confrontation with old foe, Lionel Messi’s Argentina, one of the tournament’s favourites  at the draw for the 20th FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

The other teams in Group F are Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran with the Eagles due to battle Iran in the group’s opening game on June 16 in Curitiba. Their second will be against Bosnia and their last group match against Argentina is on June 25 in Salvador, whom they played in their 2010 opener in Johannesburg in South Africa.

Nigeria have met Argentina three times in the World Cup, and lost each of those games by the odd goal.

Nigeria’s current talisman, John Obi Mikel also has a history with Argentina’s talisman, Lionel Messi as both have clashed at youth level, Messi getting the better in Holland in 2005, and at club level, Mikel’s Chelsea, beating Messi’s Barcelona in the Champions League.

Spain, the Netherlands, Chile and Australia will make up the proverbial ‘group of death’ at the 20th FIFA World Cup, while Uruguay, Italy, England and Costa Rica will comprise another intriguing pool.

Germany, Ghana, USA, Portugal will make up Group G, while hosts Brazil have Croatia Mexico and Cameroon for company in Group A,Colombia, Greece, Côte d’Ivoire and Japan, along with Switzerland, Ecuador, Honduras and France, appear to be in wide-open sections.

The Final Draw took place at the luxurious Costa do Sauípe in Salvador. It was conducted by FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke, assisted by Cafu, Fabio Cannavaro, Alcides Ghiggia, Fernando Hierro, Sir Geoff Hurst, Mario Kempes, Lothar Matthaus and Zinedine Zidane, who were representing the eight World Cup winners.

Brazil and Croatia will participate in the opening match at the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo on 12 June 2014. Germany, meanwhile, will become the first team to reach 100 World Cup matches when they face Portugal five days later.

The Final will unfold at the cathedral of Brazilian football, the iconic Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, on 13 July.

In his reaction, former Nigerian international, Victor Ikpeba has predicted that Argentina will dominate and go on to top Group F at next summer’s World Cup.

“But Nigeria will hold its own as second best in the group.’’


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