Argentina v Nigeria GOLD MATCH (R)

[vancity eagle]

with all due respect to all parties, the antics the argentines have been accused of in the past, played no part in the outcome of todays match. So I think the name calling and arguments are really not needed.

[Maruti]

Speaking about Amuneke... what do you think about his younger brother Kevin Onyekachi Amuneke? He seems like a carbon copy of his older brother in terms of everything, including talent... and only 22 years old.Unfortunately looks like he might beome a wasted talent like his brother...

[Maruti]

with all due respect to all parties, the antics the argentines have been accused of in the past, played no part in the outcome of todays match. So I think the name calling and arguments are really not needed.

Nobody said they did.
Argentina won fair and square.

[Alberto]

IDIOT, sorry but I call it like I sees it. We did not cheat and were not losers so this whole post is a false waste of time. Arrogant?? No just proud holders of the gold medal, back to back gold medals to boot, sorry if to you this seems arrogant.

No the Argentinians are arrogant. It's in the national character. You can see it in how they carry themselves. They do dive to win fouls and complain to dissuade the referee to affect his decisions. This does not take away from their talent. Argentina is an incredible football factory. They produce top flight players every year. More than Brasil who has a much larger population. Their ability to produce quality players in all positions is without peer. That said the cheating aspects of their paly are very troubling to me. Particularly, because they were not this way in the past. Diegito use to attack and bounce off tackles not flop to the ground. That is very troubling to me. There is no need for it.

[bigpoppapump]

Look at his body language. Look at how he addresses opponents and the referee. He's a young guy and I have no doubt in another couple of years he'll be as bad as Blanco. Being one of the top players in the world does not give you carte blanche to be an arrogant jerk.

:confused:lol as bad as Blanco??? Are you serious?

[Alberto]

Nobody said they did.
Argentina won fair and square.

Agreed, they won fair and square they were the better team. I think they can do better without the other stuff, but I'm a referee so I expect more from players.

[Maruti]

vancity... don't know if you read it. apparently the only reason Ogbuke didn't play was because of injury. i take back any doubts I had about Siasia. I believe he is the best Nigerian coach there is.

[vancity eagle]

vancity... don't know if you read it. apparently the only reason Ogbuke didn't play was because of injury. i take back any doubts I had about Siasia. I believe he is the best Nigerian coach there is.

i know, shame.

[Alberto]

It says you support the US men's national team do you recal the game in 2006 between the USA and Italy?? Talk about cheating, arrogance and such, please move on would you.

Only nonsense I saw in that match was the cleats up tackle by Mastroeni. Also on that particular play the Italian player simulated far worse foul than what it was. Where else was there arrogance and cheating?

[aerez]

No the Argentinians are arrogant. It's in the national character. You can see it in how they carry themselves.
That's prejudice and I can I'll bet a million dollars you have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to Argentine character and culture. The only thing you've constantly done is accuse and label, "The Argentinians."

El veijo Matias don't fall prey to the comments. Why are you getting riled up. It's just some person flapping his fingers away at the keyboard and probably flapping away to other things. Be the better man and ignore it. And I mean this in no disrespect to the posters who have given some substance with their reply to go along with their smug remarks. It goes towards those who just want to post garbage for the sake of garbage.

[RacingGirl]

Agreed, they won fair and square they were the better team. I think they can do better without the other stuff, but I'm a referee so I expect more from players.

Do you have any tapes of you referring a game? I'd love to see you yellow card someone for being too "arrogant". As far as the cheating allegations, what games were you watching? And accusing Messi of being an "arrogant jerk" lmao dear lord, you must not know much about him.

[Mosco]

Do you have any tapes of you referring a game? I'd love to see you yellow card someone for being too "arrogant". As far as the cheating allegations, what games were you watching? And accusing Messi of being an "arrogant jerk" lmao dear lord, you must not know much about him.


Well I think Nigeria will have some good firepower come this world cup if they make it

[RacingGirl]

I Mosco that! They have some excellent players.

Have a nice weekend all, y Vamos Argentina :D
Well I think Nigeria will have some good firepower come this world cup if they make it

[Antonio81]

I've read that a few times here. How exactly is Messi an arrogant asshole?

Look at his body language. Look at how he addresses opponents and the referee. He's a young guy and I have no doubt in another couple of years he'll be as bad as Blanco. Being one of the top players in the world does not give you carte blanche to be an arrogant jerk.

Sorry but b^*^s*^&.

This was a better team, but talent wise it it just as talented as the 1996 team. The only difference being, that there is only one Okocha. Nonetheless players like Apam, Kaita, Adeleye, Okonkwo, Ajilore, Obinna, Odemwingie, Anichebe, Olufemi, Adefemi have just as much individual talent as there 1996 counterparts.

I believe however the most talented player from the Olympic squad didn't play the final... Edu Ogbuke was god sent in the quarters and semis. I believe his impact on Nigeria is as big as Okocha's in 1996 or Messi's in the 2008 squad.


sorry Maruti but I have to agree with Antonio on this one. This team was better coached and better tactically than the 1996 team. They also played more as a team having better chemistry, but no way was this team even close to being as talented as 1996.

Guys like Okocha, and Kanu are both legends, they are world class players whose skills can be matched by only a few players in the world. To have both of these guys on the field at the same time is immense. We didn't have any players this year even close to these guys. Not to mention that fullbacks were our weakness this year, we had Babayaro who was very good at the time, despite how badly he fell off later. Also Sunday Oliseh, Taribo West, Amokachie, Amunike, Victor Ikpeba. Sorry the two teams are not even close in terms of talent. 2008 team still has ballers, but not close. However this just goes to show you that team chemistry, tactics, and organization are just as important if not more important than talent. This was a much less talented Nigeria going up against a Argentina most likely better than their 96 team, and being very close to getting a result.

either way, mix the best of these olympic players with our other guys, and the world better watch out in 2010. We can do serious damage. Provided we qualify of course.


The words were pretty much taken out of my mouth, but playing games at high noon is rediculous and I figured it would have been canned after the infamous Cameroon-Colombia match in 1993. The heat obviously affected the quality of play(I found Argentina Ivory Coast alot more entertaining) and Messi´s temperment, but I´ve seen him act up on other occasions.

Both Nigeria´s ´94 WC squad(that won the ANF and were possible WC contenders) and ´96 Olympic squad were more talented than the current bunch, but Nigeria is finally getting the tactical part down, it was a huge step-up from the supremely talented and completely unorganized France ´98 disaster team. Nigeria´s main problem other than that one defensive lapse was having a quality finisher up front.

[argentine soccer fan]

No the Argentinians are arrogant. It's in the national character. You can see it in how they carry themselves. They do dive to win fouls and complain to dissuade the referee to affect his decisions. This does not take away from their talent. Argentina is an incredible football factory. They produce top flight players every year. More than Brasil who has a much larger population. Their ability to produce quality players in all positions is without peer. That said the cheating aspects of their paly are very troubling to me. Particularly, because they were not this way in the past. Diegito use to attack and bounce off tackles not flop to the ground. That is very troubling to me. There is no need for it.

It sounds to me like you are predisposed to believe cliches about Argentina.

I think you must have issues with Argentina that have nothing to do with this match or indeed with this tournament, because what you say does not fit with the facts of this particular team or this particular tournament in any way whatsoever.

[Failed States]

Look at his body language. Look at how he addresses opponents and the referee. He's a young guy and I have no doubt in another couple of years he'll be as bad as Blanco. Being one of the top players in the world does not give you carte blanche to be an arrogant jerk.

Messi has every right to address a ref or get upset with an opposing player if he's getting hacked on the field. What led him to speak up was a no call from the ref right before halftime in which the Nigerian player (same guy that wanted to apologize) came at him through the back with a rough tackle.

[Dr. Know]

Look at his body language. Look at how he addresses opponents and the referee. He's a young guy and I have no doubt in another couple of years he'll be as bad as Blanco. Being one of the top players in the world does not give you carte blanche to be an arrogant jerk.

LOL this might be one of the dumbest posts I've read here. His body language???? PHULEEZE. Anyone's who's followed Messi's career and behavior on and off the pitch knows he's one of the humblest players around. You're just making baseless claims which are really really dumb. Your accusations with zero evidence are retarded to say the least.

[Dr. Know]

Don't get defensive, Messi isn't the only Argentinian who dives and to be fair many other nations like Portugal and Italy are notable for their diving too.

So is the USA with the likes of Donovan and others so STFU honestly. You sound like a bitter menstruating woman.

[Dr. Know]

Body language says it all. The Nigerian that approached Messi was nonaggressive. Messi reacted with pushes. Maybe a misunderstanding, but still doesn't say well about Messi.


Were you on the pitch? Do you know what was said? If not you're just making baseless claims. Shit like this happens all the time on the pitch. Stop talking out of your ass.

[Dr. Know]

Agreed, they won fair and square they were the better team. I think they can do better without the other stuff, but I'm a referee so I expect more from players.

You must be a really bad ref.