10 things we learned from Argentina 1-0 Nigeria

By Dan Silver in 2010 World Cup Blog

Published 17:11 12/06/10

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Diego Maradona's managerial World Cup career got off to a winning start thanks to Gabriel Heinze's stupendous headed goal against Nigeria . But what have we learned, asks MirrorFootball's Dan Silve r?

1) BBC Radio 5 Live must know something that we don't about the comings and goings at Anfield. Their pre-match team news bulletin named the 'six' Premier League players in the starting line-ups: Shittu, Yakubu, Etuhu and Yobo for Nigeria, and Gutierrez and Tevez for Argentina. We know Javier Mascherano wants out of Liverpool, but we didn't realise he'd gone already...

2) Diego Maradona has clearly lost some weight since he got measured-up for that ridiculously roomy suit, but he remains the only man in the world to sport a 'cocaine gut'. With apologies to comedian Sean Lock, it would seem Diego's biggest problem with the drug was sprinkling it on his chips...

3) The madness of Maradona has been much documented - not least of all by us - but surely picking Newcastle right winger Jonas Gutierrez at full-back trumps them all. Our own Euro Spy column tipped him as Argentina's answer to Emile Heskey before the tournament started, for which we would whole-heartedly like to apologise. Having seen him been pulled from pillar to post by Nigeria we'd like to take that back: he is, in fact, their Michael Rickets.

4) BBC TV pundit Mick McCarthy was scathingly critical of Nigeria's marking for Argentina's opening goal, but he should have cut them some slack. After all, Heinze has 57 varieties of corner routine so they can't be expected to pick him up every time...

5) Much was understandably made of Argentina's stellar array of forwards before the game, but the best performer on the pitch was surely Nigeria's keeper Vincent Enyeama. His string of excellent saves to deny Messi and co prevented what could have quite easily become if not a cricket score, then certainly a rugby league one. How soon before he's linked with a Premier League side?

6) Conversely, Argentina's young left-sided attacking midfielder has been linked with just about every major club in Europe this season but he was one of the more underwhelming forwards on show. Obviously Nigeria had done their homework and found an answer for that perennial question: how do you solve a problem like Di Maria? (don't worry - we've got our coats already)

7) Lionel Messi has attracted criticism in his homeland for not performing as well for the national side as he does for Barcelona and he once again failed to get on the scoresheet. We're tempted to say that's because in the blue and white he doesn't have Xavi and Iniesta pulling the strings behind him. But could the real reason be Messi doesn't come up against defenders of the quality of, er, Bolton's Danny Shittu in La Liga?

8) Joking aside, maybe opposing managers should consider calling-up the fella in the crowd with the laser pen. He was, after all, the only person to get close to Messi all night.

9) The manager most pleased with the result here will surely have been South Korea's Huh Jung-Moo. Given Argentina's defensive shortcomings and Nigeria's attacking ineptitude, those pre-tournament predictions of easy progress for both teams now look as shaky as Martín Demichelis' sense of positioning.

10) It's been a good day so far for those with Old Trafford connections, given first Ji-Sung Park and then Gabriel Heinze's goals. Wayne Rooney will surely be confident of that trend continuing tonight, and so are we - which is exactly why we're off to the bookies to stick a fiver on Jonathan Spector bagging the winner.

What did you learn from the game? Let us know by leaving a comment below...

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