By Chidera Akalonu
For the fifth time in six FIFA World Cup appearances, Nigeria will be playing against Argentina in the group phase come next year summer in Russia.
Three –time African champions Nigeria will also tackle European teams Iceland and Croatia in Group D, in a ceremony held at the state Kremlin Palace in Moscow.
The Super Eagles were the first African team to qualify for June’s tournament in Russia but they are in the fourth and final pot of seeds, which were determined according to the Fifa rankings for October.
Except for France 1998, Nigeria played against Argentina in the group phase of the FIFA World Cup in 1994, 2002, 2010 and 2014, losing narrowly on each occasion. The venue was Foxboro Stadium, Boston in 1994 (2-1 Argentina), Ibaraki Arena in 2002 (1-0 Argentina), Ellis Park, Johannesburg in 2010 (1-0 Argentina) and Porto Alegre in 2014 (3-2 Argentina).
However, in a friendly game on Russian soil (Krasnodar) on 14th November (only 17 days ago), the Super Eagles came from two goals down to defeat the two –time world champions 4-2. Argentina won the FIFA World Cup title in 1978 and 1986, and were losing finalists in Italy in 1990 (lost to Germany courtesy of a late penalty) and in Brazil in 2014 (beaten in extra time by Germany). The Super Eagles will be contesting their sixth finals, having only missed the 2006 World Cup after making their tournament debut in 1994.
In Russia, the Super Eagles’ first match will be against Croatia at the 35,000 –capacity Kaliningrad Stadium on Saturday, 16th June 2018 at 9pm (Kaliningrad time). Zlatko Dalic is coach of Croatia and top stars include Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Rakitic, Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic. For their second match, Nigeria will fly to Volgograd, where they take on Iceland at the 45,000 –capacity Volgograd Arena on Friday, 22nd June 2018. Time is 6pm.
Iceland is making a first appearance at the FIFA World Cup, and is the smallest country ever to qualify for the finals. The country has a population of 335,000. Iceland shocked the whole of Europe last year summer, reaching the quarter –finals of the European Championship in France. Heimir Hallgrimsson is coach and star player is Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Iceland were actually in the same European qualifying group with Croatia, and topped the pool to condemn the Croatians to a play –off against Greece.
Nigeria’s final group phase game is against Argentina on Tuesday, 26th June 2018 and the venue is the 68,000 –capacity Saint Petersburg Stadium, the second biggest venue at the finals. Time is 9pm, same time that Croatia and Iceland will be battling at the Rostov Arena.
The opening match of Russia 2018 will be between Russia and Saudi Arabia, starting 6pm at the 81,000 –capacity Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow – the venue that will also host the Final Match on 15th July 2018.
Meanwhile, The Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung is optimistic that the Super Eagles of Nigeria will qualify from Group D of the 2018 FIFA World Cup fixtures in Russia.
Barrister Dalung made the statement after the draws were made on Friday at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow where Nigeria were drawn in Group D with Argentina, Croatia and Iceland.
The Minister said that if qualitative friendly games are lined up for the team, the Super Eagles will get beyond the quarterfinals stage.
“I’m confident of Super Eagles’ qualification from Group D. It is not an easy group considering the caliber of teams we have in that group. We met Argentina earlier in a friendly match and beat them but it won’t be that easy at the World Cup so Nigeria will need to beware of Argentina at the competition proper.
“Coincidentally, Iceland and Croatia were in the same Group 1 of the European qualifying round for the World Cup so it’s not going to be an easy group to qualify from. However, I am confident that if we prepare our team adequately, we will make a decent appearance in Russia.
The NFF President has described the Super Eagles Group D fixtures as decent.
“It’s a decent group. We are good with our group. With prayers and decent preparations, we will surely go through easily” Pinnick said.