After several defeats against Argentina at senior and youth levels, the Flying Eagles finally paid the South Americans back in their own coin right in their backyard at the ongoing U-20 World Cup, writes EBENEZER BAJELA
It was Scottish poet, Walter Scott, who once said, “Revenge, the sweetest morsel to the mouth that ever was cooked in hell.”
On Wednesday, it was sweet revenge as the country’s U-20 team the Flying Eagles deservedly got their pound of flesh back against Argentina in front of their home fans to send the hosts packing from the ongoing U-20 World Cup at the Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan, Argentina.
At the senior level, the Super Eagles have lost all five World Cup games to the Argentines (1994, 2002, 2010, 2014 and 2018).
At the U-20 category, Argentina equally showed their superiority in their only meeting, when a Lionel Messi brace condemned the Flying Eagles to a 2-1 defeat in the final of the tournament in 2005.
Argentina, led by the inimitable Messi, had reigned supreme at last year’s World Cup, leading Albiceleste to a third triumph in Qatar.
A remarkable moment before their victory in the East was after the semi-final 3-0 win over Croatia, which ushered them into the final. Madonna’s song “Don’t cry for me, Argentina,” filled the entire iconic Lusail stadium, as jubilant Argentines sang and danced their way to the final.
At the U-20 World Cup, they had also hoped to sing and dance their way to the final, as 27,179 home fans packed the Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario to cheer their future stars to victory against the Africans, who had only managed two final appearances and a third-place finish at the competition, while their hosts were seeking their seventh title on home soil.
However, it was not the case, as the Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario found itself in a serene, mournful state. You could hear the sound of a pin drop but for the celebrations of the Nigerian contingent, who had just achieved an unlikely feat 9,125km away from Nigeria.
Home fans wore sullen faces, tears welling in their eyes as their darling team, managed by the respected Javier Mascherano, crashed out 2-0.
Ibrahim Muhammad and Haliru Sarki’s second-half goals had edged just out the record U-20 World Cup winners.
After a goalless first half, the Flying Eagles opened scoring in the 61st minute through Muhammad, but the pumped-on hosts attacked in numbers in search of an equaliser. They controlled possession, had 27 shots at goal against the Flying Eagles’ 10, and completed 464 passes while their opponents managed just 298, but it was not to be.
Instead, it was the Nigerians that broke Argentine hearts, when Sarki added the second goal to send Nigeria into the last eight.
Jeremy Taylor, a cleric in the Church of England in the 17th century, must have predicted this very day when he said, “Revenge is like a rolling stone, which, when a man hath forced up a hill, will return upon him with a greater violence, and break those bones whose sinews gave it motion.”
Back home, Ambrose Vanzekin felt relieved after the win. The retired goalkeeper was in between the sticks when Messi slotted two penalties past him in the final of the 2005 edition in The Netherlands as the Argentines triumphed 2-1.
He was also on the losing side as Messi steered their U-23 side to Olympic glory, beating the Nigerians 1-0 in the final, with forward Angel Di Maria chipping the on-rushing Vanzekin for the winner after a sublime Messi had put him through
“It was so refreshing to see the boys beat Argentina,” Vanzekin, now goalkeepers trainer at title-chasing NPFL side Bendel Insurance, told our correspondent.
“From the day it was announced that we were going to play against them, I had lots of memories about the 2005 final and even the Olympics in 2008. The boys did a great job because this time around, they beat them in the presence of their fans. That is massive. As I said before, I think they have everything to go far, because they have got some hard lessons from the (U-20) Nations Cup.”
Prior to the shock defeat to the Nigerians, Los Cebollitas had won all their three group games, scoring an amazing 10 goals and conceding just one, while the Flying Eagles lost to Brazil in their final group game, after earlier wins over Dominican Republic and highly fancied Italy.
“I knew that it would cost us if we were careless and that penalised us a lot,” Mascherano said.
“The team tried and the boys left everything. The guys have to try and lift their heads up and continue with their clubs. In this game, merit has nothing to do with the result. It hurts our soul. We did everything to try and continue in the tournament.
“Football is like this. At times it gives you and at other times it takes away. Today was that situation and you have to congratulate Nigeria.
“We showed calmness to play and we played the match we had to play but it didn’t give.”
The defeat immediately put the future of the former Barcelona and Liverpool midfielder as coach of his country’s U-20 side in doubt, as angry fans called for his sack.
A fan Dann slammed Mascherano for the defeat.
“I knew from the start that he was a hopeless manager, not sure why so many people wanted him to stay on.”
Another fan Belen Lucia believes Marcelo Gallardo, should have led the team to the tournament.
“Gallardo is without a job and they hire Mascherano. Resign everyone please,” he tweeted.
“Nigeria are the first decent rivals that touch them and they disappear. We are talking about a group from Guatemala, Uzbekistan, and New Zealand. Of these 23 players, perhaps you have 4/5 who have the money to continue growing to go to the Elite. The others are fine.
“Mascherano may have certain concepts but he is an apprentice in training. They are delicate positions. Maybe you have to concentrate on another area of coaching. Because with the U-20 he proved to be a beginner, disgusting,” Myright Nut added on Twitter.
In more reactions, Luffy Bostero tweeted, “Everything from Mascherano, how can you trust a guy who didn’t qualify on his own merit?”
Ighasi wrote, “Serious mistake that they give us the opportunity to play in the World Cup and leave Mascherano on the bench, for God’s sake.”
Xavier added, “Even if Mascherano was there or not Nigeria would have still wasted Argentina…. Nigeria finally humbled you guys making a mockery of every country you beat (Netherlands, Mbappe ) it’s nice to see you in pain.”
But Mascherano admits he will love to continue with the squad.
“I have a great relationship with Chiqui Tapia (AFA president). I will continue if they believe that I am good at this.
“He knows that he has my resignation at his desk every day. In the meantime, I am calm. At no time did I come back just for this World Cup. My idea is to continue.”
Mascherano’s opposite number Ladan Bosso, a veteran at the competition, having coached the flying Eagles at the 2007 edition, inflicted the sucker punch on the hosts during the post-match conference.
“Beating Argentina is no big deal,” he said. ”We had a game plan against Argentina and we stuck to it.”
Truly, the defeat caused widespread anger in the South American country, as their football-crazy populace took to social media to vent their annoyance.
“Argentina is not worthy of qualifying for the World Cup because it’s a giveaway from Indonesia,” Arman Setiawan stated on Twitter.
Rodri sarcastically stated, “It is clear we need Lionel Messi to beat Nigeria.”
Leo Morganella wrote, “The kids no, they didn’t save anything. Instead, the loser of DT yes, Perrone and Soulé were saved in the bank to put their representative’s business. I neither forget nor forgive Mufascherano.”
Former Super Eagles keeper Alloy Agu, who won bronze with the Flying Eagles at the 1985 edition of the competition, made a plea for Mascherano.
“Personally, I feel for Mascherano because his people are calling for his head but it comes with the job and we just have to admit that is the situation of the game.”
On the Flying Eagles’ win, Agu added, “It is a sweet victory and we hope for more to come. The victory should be a stepping stone because beating the hosts is usually not an easy task. And we are talking about Argentina here, but the boys kept to the game plan.
“Bosso said before the game that they were not going to be intimidated by the Argentines despite the qualities they have. He did well giving the team the courage they needed. The team was resilient, they showed attitude and they took their chances.”
Etim Esin, a member of the Flying Eagles set that crashed out from the group stage, added, “It’s sweet revenge because we’ve not had so much luck playing against Argentina. I hope they can build on it and get to the final of the competition. They’ve beaten two superpowers in Argentina and Italy, who knows, we may be facing Brazil again.
“The Argentines have some players who are already in top clubs and beating them in front of their fans at the World Cup says a lot about the boys.”
The hosts’ wailings continue as the Flying Eagles prepare for Sunday’s quarter-final clash at the Santiago del Estero, but at least there won’t be Argentines at the match venue rendering Madonna’s ‘Don’t cry for me, Argentina’ tune.
Their 2023 U-20 World Cup dream is over, courtesy of the Flying Eagles of Nigeria.
