Posted by 9jabook.com on December 5, 2009 at 5:14am
Now, there is no hiding place for the Eagles.
This evening in Cape Town, South Africa, Nigeria's group opponents in the forthcoming World Cup taking place in that country, were unveiled.
If Nigerians expected a soft draw, they did not get it as they have found themselves in a group from whose passage into the second round may not be easy. The Super Eagles, who squeaked their way to the World Cup, will play alongside two-time champions, Argentina, 2002 World Cup semi-finalists, Korea Republic and former European champions, Greece in Group B.The Argentinean bogey
The biggest surprise for most Nigerians and perhaps their biggest fear is the presence of Argentina in the group. Parading young and exciting players with newly crowned European Footballer of the Year, Lionel Messi as arrowhead, the South Americans are tough customers any day - the fact that like Nigeria they barely managed to qualify for the World Cup notwithstanding.
In South Africa, Nigeria will be meeting Argentina for the third time at the World Cup. In their two previous meetings, in 1994 and 2002, the South Americans ran away with a 2-1 and 1-0 victory respectively.
The two countries open proceeding in the group on June 12, 2010 at the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg. The outcome of that encounter will determine the trajectory of the tournament for the Super Eagles. Their coach, Amodu Shuaibu, speaking on the match after the draws said he was happy his team will be starting out with the game against the Argentineans.
After the encounter with Argentina, the Eagles face Korea on June 17. Both sides have not meet at the World cup at senior level. The last meeting between both countries was at the U-17 level when Nigeria's Golden Eaglets beat Korea's U-17 3-1 in the quarter-final of the U-17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria between October and November.
The Eagles will round off their group games on June 22 in an encounter with Greece. It will be Nigeria's second meeting with the former European champions. Their first encounter at the 1994 World Cup in the U.S. ended 2-0 in favour of Nigeria courtesy of goals from Finidi George and Daniel Amokachi.
Ivorian hard luck
Nigeria is not the only African side to be handed a tough assignment by the draws. Its West African brothers, Cote d'Ivoire led by Chelsea FC of England striker, Didier Drogba, have been lumped in Group G with five-time winners, Brazil, Euro 2004 finalists, Portugal and Korea Democratic Republic.
To get out of this group, Drogba and his colleagues have to be at their best, particularly against the Brazilians, who have been playing exciting football powered by young and delectable stars like Kaka, Maicon and Robinho to name a few of the Jewels in the Carlos Dunga coached side.
In Group C, Ghana have their job clearly cut out. They will play against Australia, Serbia and three-time champions, Germany. To the uninitiated, Ghana's only obstacle may be the Germans but for those who followed the qualifying campaigns for the 2010, they know that Serbia's impressive performance forced the former champions into a play off with Ireland. The central Europeans not only topped the group but rounded off its qualifying campaign with a 5-0 rout of Romania on October 11 this year.
For Algeria, making a return to the World Cup after 26 years, a difficult job awaits them in Group C where they have been grouped with England, U.S.A. and Slovenia. The last African country and hosts of the tournament, South Africa, will play in Group A alongside Mexico, France and Uruguay.
The groups
Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France
Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, Korea Republic, Greece
Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia
Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana,
Group E: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
Group G: Brazil, Korea DPR, Côte d'Ivoire, Portugal
Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile.
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