Argentina v Nigeria GOLD MATCH (R)

[vancity eagle]

well final is here, rematch of 1996 olympic final, and 2005 U20 final, should be great.

Have to say I am pleasantly surprized how well Nigeria has played. This team does not have as much individual talent as the 1996 champion side. There are no legends like Okocha, or Kanu, but this team is definately better coached, and more tactically organized than any Nigerian team I have ever seen. They play more as a team than 1996 side. This team has improved drastically with every game, pretty much dominating every side stepping in their path. The ease at which CIV and Belgium (both playing very well in this tournament) were dismantled was shocking to me.
So the final is here, easily the best 2 sides of the tournament, although Nigeria has cruised to the final, the standard of opponents will drastically increase in this match. This Argentina team is several classes above everyone they have faced so far, so I am really interested to see how or if they can step their game up to win the Gold. I am not going to jinx anything by making any predictions, but it will be a very close game. I just hope the officiating does not decide this match, which often happens when Argentina starts flopping all over the place. They have been pretty good so far, lets hope they keep it that way. Hopefully it is a clean and well officiated game, that is all I really hope for.

[glennaldo_sf]

Yeah I'm really looking forward to this game. Poor Brazil.. they can never seem to win a gold medal but ah well, this is the dream final in my opinion - the two most consistant sides in the tournament going head to head.

[Beazley17]

Should be a great match. At least this shows me the young US talent hung around with an elite side a man down for 88 minutes, and was unlucky not to get a draw.

[Maruti]

This Argentina team is several classes above everyone they have faced so far, so I am really interested to see how or if they can step their game up to win the Gold.

They weren;t several classes above Ivory Coast. Actually Ivory Coast was on par with Argentina in the group game.

[TheGrimSweeper]

2-0 Argentina

[vancity eagle]

They weren;t several classes above Ivory Coast. Actually Ivory Coast was on par with Argentina in the group game.

true, but CIV wasn't able to raise their game against Nigeria, which I'm sure ARgentina will be able to do.

[Belgian guy]

They are undeniably the best two teams in the competition.

2-1 to Nigeria.

[El_Gaucho]

well final is here, rematch of 1996 olympic final, and 2005 U20 final, should be great.

Have to say I am pleasantly surprized how well Nigeria has played. This team does not have as much individual talent as the 1996 champion side. There are no legends like Okocha, or Kanu, but this team is definately better coached, and more tactically organized than any Nigerian team I have ever seen. They play more as a team than 1996 side. This team has improved drastically with every game, pretty much dominating every side stepping in their path. The ease at which CIV and Belgium (both playing very well in this tournament) were dismantled was shocking to me.
So the final is here, easily the best 2 sides of the tournament, although Nigeria has cruised to the final, the standard of opponents will drastically increase in this match. This Argentina team is several classes above everyone they have faced so far, so I am really interested to see how or if they can step their game up to win the Gold. I am not going to jinx anything by making any predictions, but it will be a very close game. I just hope the officiating does not decide this match, which often happens when Argentina starts flopping all over the place. They have been pretty good so far, lets hope they keep it that way. Hopefully it is a clean and well officiated game, that is all I really hope for.

Well, it's not like Nigeria are known for their clean tackling skills :rolleyes:. Nigerians are notorious for their fouls and hacking and slashing.. let's hope Nigeria plays a clean game.

[vancity eagle]

Well, it's not like Nigeria are known for their clean tackling skills :rolleyes:. Nigerians are notorious for their fouls and hacking and slashing.. let's hope Nigeria plays a clean game.

sorry but that would be CAmeroon, not Nigeria. We have one of the lowest card counts this olympics, and we don't have anybody who fouls as blatantly as Mascherano. Unbelievable the guy hasn't even recieved a yellow so far.

[aerez]

we don't have anybody who fouls as blatantly as Mascherano. Unbelievable the guy hasn't even recieved a yellow so far.
Right, blatant. :rolleyes: He hasn't received a yellow, maybe... um.... because he's so good. Keep the excuses coming, divers, chockers, babies, etc etc.....
I hope we win, we'll brag with our celebrations of songs: that's the way we roll.

[JuveFE]

sorry but that would be CAmeroon, not Nigeria. We have one of the lowest card counts this olympics, and we don't have anybody who fouls as blatantly as Mascherano. Unbelievable the guy hasn't even recieved a yellow so far.

Just because he goes in hard doesn't mean its not a clean tackle. The guy has no fear.

[vancity eagle]

Just because he goes in hard doesn't mean its not a clean tackle. The guy has no fear.

yeah he goes in hard, but he is not the cleanest tackler I've ever seen, I saw him commit 2 fouls right in front of the ref within the space of a minute against Ivory Coast, and considering one was a slide tackle from behind, and both of them stopped quick Ivorian counter attacks, he should have definately been yellow carded. Well being the favorites definately has its advantages with the refs.

[El viejo Matias]

yeah he goes in hard, but he is not the cleanest tackler I've ever seen, I saw him commit 2 fouls right in front of the ref within the space of a minute against Ivory Coast, and considering one was a slide tackle from behind, and both of them stopped quick Ivorian counter attacks, he should have definately been yellow carded. Well being the favorites definately has its advantages with the refs.

Common are you really going to play that card?? Since when has Argentina ever been the faves with refs.:rolleyes:
I can't stand the accuations that we flop or dive or foul alot if anything Argentina has been quite clean and sportsmanlike for a while now.
To the guy who stated the Ivory coast and Argentina were equall, did you watch the game?? Argentina controlled it, the only thing the Ivory coast did was counter attack, I always had the sense Argentina would score on one of their moves , not so with the Ivory coast. To the Nigerians, good luck, but no offense, Belgium is really nothing to gage your ability with as I think Italy was just average as well. Nigeria is a dangerous side, but the Argentines have experience and talent to spare.

[El viejo Matias]

By the way anybody on Nigeria team like this?:p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZnUr8lcqjo

[El viejo Matias]

Or how about a guy like this if you decide to foul Messi??:rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nif9rwUhzHI

[El viejo Matias]

Here are the two forwards the Nigerian defence will face.;)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KlmE0CM404

[vancity eagle]

I wasn't saying Argentina in particular is in faves with the refs, but you cannot be oblivious to the fact that refs do tend to favor the big name teams. I've seen it time and time again, this is not fiction. Regarding Argentina and diving, unfortunately you guys have the worst reputation for doing it. I agree I haven't seen anything over the top for a while. I don't remember any incidents in WC 2006, and as stated earlier its been pretty good this olympics. As I also said before, lets hope it stays that way. Good luck in the final, lets hope for a classic.

[El viejo Matias]

Sorry but Im not letting you go that easy, you state we have the worst rep for diving but yet state you don't recall any incident in 2006 or this tourney, then please back up your claim. When did we dive so much, examples please. Was it 2002? 1998 under a very strict Passarella, 1994, or was it 1990, ( no wait that was Germany stealing the WC with a dive. )????? Back it up with fact OK.:rolleyes:

[vancity eagle]

Sorry but Im not letting you go that easy, you state we have the worst rep for diving but yet state you don't recall any incident in 2006 or this tourney, then please back up your claim. When did we dive so much, examples please. Was it 2002? 1998 under a very strict Passarella, 1994, or was it 1990, ( no wait that was Germany stealing the WC with a dive. )????? Back it up with fact OK.:rolleyes:

1) 2005 U20 final / 2 penalties where Messi and Aguero each had a turn. There seemed to be slight contact, but Messi and Aguero both put forth their best acting performance to make sure the calls were made. As I have stated before overacting to slight contact is every bit as much cheating as diving to no contact. The fact that you have to sell the fall, means that there wasn't that much contact or no contact at all. If you're taken out, you're taken out, end of story, no need for theatrics.

2) 1996 Olympic final / Perhaps the most disgusting dive I have ever seen in the history of soccer, where Ortega clearly dives in the box and is awarded a penalty when the nearest Nigeria defender was at least a meter away from him. Was it the wind ?, lack of calcium in his bones ? Regardless a penalty was awarded.

3) Didn't Ortega do the same thing to Holland in 1998 ? I could be wrong but I think something like that happened.

4) The main thing Argentina usually does is try to draw yellows and reds for the other team. They do this by yelling like they have been shot, and rolling around like they are on fire. Sometimes when tackles are clean, sometimes when there is little contact. They actually do this more frequently than looking for penalties. Quite frankly they do this almost every game I see Argentina play.

I'm sure there are many more examples. These ones are just fresh in my mind.

[El viejo Matias]

1) 2005 U20 final / 2 penalties where Messi and Aguero each had a turn. There seemed to be slight contact, but Messi and Aguero both put forth their best acting performance to make sure the calls were made. As I have stated before overacting to slight contact is every bit as much cheating as diving to no contact. The fact that you have to sell the fall, means that there wasn't that much contact or no contact at all. If you're taken out, you're taken out, end of story, no need for theatrics.

2) 1996 Olympic final / Perhaps the most disgusting dive I have ever seen in the history of soccer, where Ortega clearly dives in the box and is awarded a penalty when the nearest Nigeria defender was at least a meter away from him. Was it the wind ?, lack of calcium in his bones ? Regardless a penalty was awarded.

3) Didn't Ortega do the same thing to Holland in 1998 ? I could be wrong but I think something like that happened.

4) The main thing Argentina usually does is try to draw yellows and reds for the other team. They do this by yelling like they have been shot, and rolling around like they are on fire. Sometimes when tackles are clean, sometimes when there is little contact. They actually do this more frequently than looking for penalties. Quite frankly they do this almost every game I see Argentina play.

I'm sure there are many more examples. These ones are just fresh in my mind.

Ok so you give less than a hand-full of examples then state " they do this almost every game I see Argentina play", something does not add up .:rolleyes: