Coach Jorge Sampaoli is confident that Argentina will beat the Super Eagles at the World Cup in Russia next year. Nigeria, Croatia, Iceland and the Abiceleste were housed in Group D of the football showpiece during Friday’s draw.
Recall that the three-time African champions had last month bashed the South Americans 2-4 in a friendly international. However, Sampaoli believes such will not happen as star man, Lionel Messi who did not play in the game, will be available for the tournament.
"Nigeria is an unpredictable team, with very fast players,” Sampaoli said after the draw on Friday. "We dealt with them very well in the first half in the friendly against them, but we could not cope with them in the second half.
"Now, we will have another chance against them. I know i have the best player in history, which is Lionel Messi which will help us against them.”
The two sides will be meeting for the fifth time at the group stage of the World Cup. The last time they played, Argentina were 3-2 winners. That was at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.