Dream Team IV handler, Samson Siasia has admitted that he is not relishing the prospects of coming up against Argentina in the quarter-finals and, as a result, will be going all out for victory in Wednesday’s encounter against the United States of America.
The Nigerian team are presently second on the Group B log standings behind the USA, but only by virtue of their inferior goal difference.
And if the group’s situation remains that way after Wednesday’s round of matches, and if the Argentinians, as expected, go ahead to top Group A, then Nigeria will be heading to Shanghai to take on the South Americans in the last-eight.
Nigeria defeated Argentina 12 years ago to win the Men’s Football Tournament of the Atlanta Games but an Argentine side consisting of the likes of Fernando Gago and Lionel Messi defeated a Nigerian side tutored by Siasia three years ago at the FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands.
But irrespective of the fact that the core of the Nigerian U-23 side presently in Beijing for Wednesday’s game were on the losing side three years ago, Siasia admits he is less concerned about exerting revenge on the Argies and will do anything possible to avoid them in the quarter-finals.
However, the only possible way of avoiding Sergio Batista’s side is by securing an outright win against the USA and Siasia said, that is the only option for his side on Wednesday.
“We must beat the Americans and top our group”, declared Siasia. “That is the only way we can avoid meeting the Argies in the quarter-finals.
“They (Argentina) are going well at the moment and, except the unexpected happens, they will top their group and it won’t be easy for any team that meets them.
“Don’t get me wrong though, we are not afraid of them but I don’t think the quarter-finals is the right time to play Argentina”, submitted Siasia.
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