We are not afraid of Argentina –Musa

Ahmed Musa | credits: www.soccerroomtoday.com

Super Eagles forward Ahmed Musa has said Nigeria can beat Argentina to top their World Cup group on Wednesday, africanfootball.com reports.

Nigeria and Argentina have met three times at the World Cup with the South Americans victorious on all occasions.

The African champions now need to avoid defeat on Wednesday in Porto Alegre to guarantee their place in the last 16 of Brazil 2014.

And CSKA Moscow forward Musa promised that the Eagles would be victorious on their Group F clash against Argentina on Wednesday.

“Argentina have a great team and players, same with us. We are not afraid of them, it will be a clash of giants, it’s a game we can win and that we will play for and pray God crown our efforts,” Musa told africanfootball.com

Meanwhile, defenders Juwon Oshaniwa and Efe Ambrose have insisted the Eagles will not focus on Argentina superstar Lionel Messi in the encounter.

“I am looking forward to a good, sound and successful game against Argentina. It’s not all about Messi. Name doesn’t play football but it is what players and team bring forth on match day. We are ready to make ourselves and Nigerians proud against Argentina,” Oshaniwwa said.

Celtic defender Ambrose said the focus was not on how to stop Messi, but how to beat Argentina.

“We are not thinking of how to stop Messi. We are playing Argentina, who have 11 good players, we are equal to the task. It’s going to be a battle and we are ready,” he said.

Meanwhile, former Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh has tipped Emmanuel Emenike to lift Nigeria past Argentina on Wednesday.

Oliseh praised Emenike for his wholehearted performance against Bosnia on Saturday and said the big striker could hurt a “fragile” Argentine defence.

“Did anyone notice how omni-present Emenike was? In this player (Emenike), I believe we can threaten and hurt the fragile Argentine defence,” tweeted Oliseh, who featured for Nigeria at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.

Incidentally, Emenike opened his goals account in the Eagles with a goal in a 4-1 demolition of Argentina three years ago in a friendly in Abuja.

However, the centre-forward is yet to score at Brazil 2014.

Angry Keshi Blasts Nigerian Fans 

A furious Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has lashed out at the country’s fans, saying it is a shame they have abused his person for the team’s showing at Brazil 2014.

The Super Eagles and coach Keshi came under heavy fire from angry fans after they could only manage a 0-0 draw with Iran in their opening group game at the World Cup in Brazil.

But Keshi has taken serious exception to the fans’ rage, saying there was no justification for them to insult his person.

“I am disappointed, totally disappointed (by the personal attacks), but it’s their thing, no wahala (no problem),” blasted Keshi in Brazil.

“It’s a shame, just a shame that we keep doing the same thing and then they come back and they say they are sorry. Sorry for abusing my mum? Sorry for abusing my siblings? For what? That I am representing Nigeria?”

AfricanFootball.com can recall that ‘Big Boss’ Keshi has already fired a salvo at his fellow former football stars who tore at his team and tactics in Brazil.

He said he had expected much better from them as they ought to know better about the game than the man on the street.

Nigeria take on Argentina on Wednesday in Porto Alegre and if they avoided defeat, they will qualify for the knockout rounds of the World Cup for only the third time in their history.