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Aug. 23, 2008
GOLDEN BRACE
Argentina stops Nigeria, 1-0, to win consecutive men's soccer gold medal
By Michael Lewis
BigAppleSoccer.com Editor
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Lionel Messi set up Angel DiMaria's lone goal of the match in Argentina's 1-0 gold-medal win over Nigeria.
Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images |
Beijing -- Argentina went into the record books as one of the great Olympic men's soccer teams, becoming only the fourth team to win back-to-back gold medals and the first team to accomplish that feat in 40 years Saturday afternoon.
Midfielder Angel DiMaria connected for the lone goal of the match in the 58th minute to lift the Argentines to a 1-0 victory over Nigeria before a fullhouse of 89,103 spectators at the Bird's Nest.
The Argentines followed in the footsteps of Great Britain (1908, 1912), Uruguay (1924, 1928) and Hungary (1964, 1948).
The Nigerians were trying to become the first African side to win the crown twice. Nigeria won it in 1996, followed by Cameroon in 2000.
On the winning goal, the marvelous Lionel Messi, more known for his scoring feats, simply sent a pass to DiMaria on the left flank. DiMaria sped in alone and forced goalkeeper Ambruse Vanzekin out of the net as he chipped the ball from 18 yards one bounce ino the unattended net in the 58th minute.
Both teams had their chances in the first half.
The Argentines had the first offensive push in the third minute when Messi split two defenders and found Carlos Aguero on the right side of the penalty area. Nigerian defender Chibuzor Okonkwo tapped Aguero on the shoulder while the two were running and down went the forward. No penalty kick was called by referee Viktor Kassai (Hungary).
Two minutes later, the Nigerians placed the first shot on net as goalkeeper Sergio Romero dived to his right to save Javier Mascherano's 24-yard free kick.
Argentina's Angel DiMaria ran down the middle of the field, ignoring an open teammate on the left flank. Instead, he ran into a one-on-three situation and was fouled some 25 yards out. On the ensuing free kick, Messi ran over the ball as Juan Riquelme shot well over the goal in the 10th minute.
Two minutes later, Nigeria's Solomon Okoronkwo placed a shot from a tough angle on right side over the net.
Nigeria forward Peter Odemwingie had an opportunity in front of the goal, but his header shot placed just over the net in the 24th minute. Barely a minute later, Victor Obinna fired a line drive shot right at Romero.
In a rather rare break for a club or international match, Kassai called time to give the players a water break at the 30th minute, it was so hot on the pitch. The Argentines, who regularly have water breaks in the middle of games in their domestic leagues, requested prior to the match to have such an interruption. The opposition had to agree to it, FIFA officials said. At game time, the field temperature was 95 degrees with the humidity index at 35 percent.
It certainly didn't hurt the Nigerians, who promptly came down and had a close encounter in front of the Argentine goal with a number of quick passes that culminated in Promise Isaac's header from six yards that seemed to stay up in the air for a decent amount of time to allow the Romero's outstretched arms to snatch the ball.
Argentina tried something a little different on a 39th-minute corner kick. Riquelme waited for DiMaria to run from the middle of the area toward him in the right corner, drawing DiMaria man out of the box. Riquelme then shuffled a short pass to the midfielder. DiMaria, in turn, gave Messi a short pass and the Barcelona striker sent a ball to Augero on the right side of the penalty area. Aguero flicked the ball toward goal, but goalkeeper Ambruse Vanzekin had a relatively easy save.
Vanzekin was called on to make a much more difficult save in the 45th minute. DiMaria powered a 22-yard attempt toward the near post on the left side, but the keeper managed to knock the ball out of bounds for a corner.
As the teams walked off the field at halftime, Messi had some words with defender Dele Adeleye and Isaac as did Fernando Gago. It was knot known what was said, but there definitely weren't saluting each other's performance.
One intriguing halftime stat: there were only 13 fouls in the match, with the Nigerians accruing 11 of them.
One of Messi's magnificent moves almost resulted in breaking the deadlock in the 50th minute as he launched a laser-beam of a shot that Vanzekin knocked away with both hands.
A minute later Obinna was given the first yellow card of the match, for tripping Pablo Zabaleta at midfield.
The Nigerians caused a bit of havoc in front of the Argentine goal in the 64th minute, as they penetrated into the area. But their left-wing shot was smother by Romero.
The players got a chance to cool off with another water-break, this time in the 70th minute as Columbus Crew midfielder Emmanuel Ekpo came on for Isaac.
The Argentines tried to give themselves some breathing room as the magical Messi, this time from the right side, found Aguero, but his attempt at the top of the box was deflected over the goal line for a corner kick in the 75th minute.
Nigeria continued to push forward to equalize, but Sani Kaita's 19-yard attempt sailed high over the crossbar in the 79th minute.
Trying to close out its second consecutive gold medal, the Argentines were slapped with a pair of yellow cards for taking their time on restarts in the final nine minutes.
First, Luciano Monzon was shown the yellow by Kassai for delaying his throw-in in the 81st minute. Just over a minute later, Riquelme was carded for delaying his free kick in the Nigerian end.
Second-half sub Victor Anichebe was denied by Romero at the near left post in the 84th minute as the Nigerian put his hands to his head in disbelief on failing to score the equalizer.
The match was only soccer game played at the National Stadium due to the track and field competition. That sport continued its competition at the Bird's Nest Saturday with the first of seven finals scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
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