BEN MEMULETIWON
Just one name! Ahmed Musa is the name on every lip in Nigeria. He gave the country something to cheer. He gave football-crazy Nigerians hope when it seemed that the Super Eagles were at the verge of booking their return ticket from the FIFA World Cup in Russia back to Nigeria.
But the hero Musa who also scored a brace against Argentina four years ago in Brazil rose to the occasion to score yet another brace against a very strong and well organised Iceland.
Nigeria swept aside the World Cup debutants, Iceland, to leave Group D intriguingly open after Croatia beat Argentina on Thursday to pick the first of the two tickets in the group.
Nigeria would have kissed the Mundial bye with a defeat but the players were determined to remain in Russia beyond the first round. They were so good in the second half after first half had ended goalless and were the toast in Volgograd.
Musa showed superb technique to fire Nigeria ahead on the half-volley before the Leicester player rounded keeper Hannes Thor Halldorsson to make it 2-0.
Iceland missed a late penalty awarded after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, but Gylfi Sigurdsson fired the ball over the bar.
Nigeria, who had started the day from the bottom of the group, are now second – three points behind leaders Croatia, who have already qualified for the knockout stage.
Iceland, who face Croatia next Tuesday, and Argentina, who play Nigeria at the same time, both have one point.
Reacting to the victory, former Eagles star Efan Ekoku said: “With this victory, the team is in a more advantageous position than Argentina. Nigeria will have the opportunity to play counter attacking football against them on Tuesday and a real occasion awaits the Super Eagles.
“This was always a group, once I saw the draw, that I thought anything could happen. No doubt there will be one or two final twists in the final games. Nothing would surprise me in terms of the outcome of those matches.
“So, that result is good for Argentina on paper at least. They now need to beat Nigeria in their final game and hope Iceland fail to beat Croatia.”
Bookmakers are of the opinion that Lionel Messi’s men can still advance with an Iceland victory, as long as they finish with a higher goal difference.
But it will be foolhardy to write off the Nigerians. “I doubt Argentina’s haphazard defence will relish facing the pace of Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho,” former Eagles captain Austin Okocha a guest analyst on satellite television, Supersport said.