History beckons on the Super Eagles of Nigeria as they file out for the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Nigeria’s match with Bosnia Herzegovina on June 21 will not only be a platform to secure a round of 16 ticket, even ahead of the potentially difficult game with Argentina later in the competition, the game is a landmark duel in the FIFA World Cup history
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It will be the 800th game since the World Cup kicked off on July 13, 1930 in Montevideo, Uruguay when France beat Mexico 4-1.
Coming off of a hard fought loss against Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina look to take control of its own destiny and work towards securing a place in the final 16, but intercepted by the African champions Nigeria when they came out with a poor showing against Iran to tear down Bosnia. Those who believe the weather can have an impact on matches claimed Nigeria to be the more comfortable side in the heat of Cuiaba, a city in the very middle of South America where average winter temperatures are in the higher 20s Celsius.
But,,looking at the match you will agree with me that,It is a rare record as the Nigeria- Bosnia Herzegovina game will be the only milestone encounter of the Brazil 2014 fiesta. The next milestone match, which will be the 900th game of the FIFA World Cup, will take place at Russia 2018. That will only be if the current format of the World Cup is retained.
In similar vein, it will be another 12 years from now before the 1,000th match of the World Cup is played. That will be in the 2026 edition which is yet to be decided.
For both Nigeria and Bosnia Herzegovina, the game is very crucial. If formbook is anything to go by, Nigeria will expect to have two wins in a row in the Group F encounter and thus scale into the next round.
Safet Susic, Bosnia Herzegovina’s coach also sees the match as the one to shape his team’s destiny.
He told the May edition of World Soccer: “Our crucial match will be Nigeria”. His claim was hinged on the almost the predictability of the outcome of his team’s opening game with Argentina having said that “you don’t have to be a big expert to see that Argentina are the clear favourites in our group”.
His thinking was that Bosnia will attempt to pick maximum points after their first match and then consolidate in the game with Iran.
The game with Bosnia Herzegovina will not be Nigeria’s sole contribution to the ever enriching FIFA World Cup record book. Earlier, at the USA’94, Nigeria conceded the 1,500th goal of the competition when Claudio Caniggia of Argentina scored the goal that put scores at 1-1 before his side’s eventual 2-1 defeat of Nigeria in a Group D game.
The Nigeria – Argentina match will eternally be remembered as the last match played by the legendary Diego Maradona.
Till date, there had been 2,208 goals in the World Cup since the first goal put in by France’ Lucien Laurent in the 4-1 defeat of Mexico 84 years ago.
congrats to the Eagles!
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