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With their recent 2-0 victory against Iceland, Nigeria have brought Argentina back into the qualification race in the Group D. Now, both nations will go head-to-head in a bid to secure a spot in the next phase of the competition.
Nigeria vs Argentina Live | World Cup 2018
Argentina have fallen under intense scrutiny, following their disappointing performances in the tournament. The Albiceleste played out a poor 1-1 draw against Iceland in their opening fixture before suffering a humiliating 3-0 defeat against Croatia in their second game. They secured just 1 point from 2 games and currently sit at the bottom of the table.
Jorge Sampaoli's men are in a desperate situation at the moment, needing to earn 3 points against Nigeria and hope Iceland fail to achieve a great result versus Croatia in order to qualify for the next round.
While many have already written them off due to their mediocre displays in the World Cup this year, we take a look at 3 reasons why the Albiceleste could end up beating the West Africans and progress into the knockout stage.
#3 A golden opportunity for the Albiceleste
After playing just 2 games in the World Cup this year, Argentina looked set for an early exit from the tournament.
Following their 1-1 draw against Iceland and a humiliating 3-0 defeat at the hands of Croatia, the Albiceleste were already preparing to pack their bags until something happened - Nigeria defeated Iceland 2-0 to better their chances of making it into the knockout stages.
With Iceland having only one point and Nigeria having three, Argentina still have a great chance to make it past the group stage. Fortunately, the Albiceleste will face the African giants in a match that could decide the qualification race between the three nations.
This match represents a golden opportunity for Jorge Sampaoli's men to progress to the next phase. If they can beat Nigeria by a high margin (more points or goal difference than Iceland achieves against Croatia), they will definitely move to the next stage.
Knowing quite well what any unfavorable result could bring, the Albiceleste will approach the game with great determination, looking forward to making up for their failures and sealing the qualification for their nation. Their do-or-die situation could inspire them to achieve a famous victory over the African giants on Tuesday.
#2 Lionel Messi's influence
While Argentina's poor performances have encouraged many people to write them off in the World Cup this year, it should not be forgotten that the Albiceleste still have one of the greatest players in history representing the nation. With Lionel Messi on the team, everything is possible for the South Americans in Russia.
Despite his recent struggles, Messi is still one of the most talented players in the world. On his day, the playmaker could single-handedly destroy Nigeria's defense and earn a vital victory for his nation.
He did it in 2014, scoring a fantastic brace, including a brilliant free kick to inspire the Albiceleste to a 3-2 victory over the African giants.
If Messi finds his rhythm in the game today, he could end up repeating that feat and secure Argentina's passage into the knockout stage of the tournament.
#1 Argentina can do it late
A couple of poor performances have put Argentina in great danger of failing to progress into the knockout stages of the World Cup this year. However, this is not the first time that the Albiceleste will find themselves in such a terrible situation.
They almost failed to qualify for the tournament at all, after their mediocre displays put them in a similar situation during the qualifiers. But they managed to defeat Ecuador 3-1 in their last match to secure a place for their nation in Russia.
With this kind of inspiration, the Albiceleste could end up doing it late against Nigeria, defeating the Super Eagles adequately and progressing into the next phase of the competition.
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