<figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-106260" title="Nigeria-v-Bosnia-and-Herzegovina" src="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Nigeria-v-Bosnia-and-Herzegovina.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="296" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17053706/Nigeria-v-Bosnia-and-Herzegovina.jpg 500w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17053706/Nigeria-v-Bosnia-and-Herzegovina-150x88.jpg 150w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17053706/Nigeria-v-Bosnia-and-Herzegovina-300x177.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px"></figure>
Although expectations were tempered due to poor results in the last two World Cup tournaments they qualified for, The Super Eagles of Nigeria came into this year’s World Cup full of confidence. They won the African Cup of Nations last year with a unified team that had fewer off field problems than previous Nigerian squads. However, aside from having a goal disallowed in the first 20 minutes, they failed to impress in their opening game against a determined Iranian side who were widely considered underdogs.
Their midfield was particularly unimpressive. Even though they had most of the possession, they rarely did anything useful with it. Peter Odemwingie will need to start instead of the hapless Ramon Azeez who woefully misplaced almost every pass he attempted. Lazio’s Ogenyi Onazi was also spuriously energetic, constantly passing the ball to the opposition and spurning what was arguably the best chance of the game. He will need to be much better, and so will John Obi Mikel. The Chelsea midfielder will need to be involved further forward, as he was ineffective in the Pirlo-like quarterback role he played against Iran. Usually a midfield stopper for Chelsea, he looks to dictate the tempo for his countrymen and is much better at shorter passes – a skill the Nigerians will need to exploit if they are to have any chance of defeating Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina.
Nigeria like to play a fluid 4-3-3 counter attacking style. They should be allowed to do this more against the Bosnians than they were against the Iranians, who if they could, would’ve parked the plane they came to Brazil on in front of the goal. In order to do that they will need get the ball to their three forward players Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike and Ahmed Musa quicker and with better accuracy if they are to stand any chance at all.
Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina on the other hand are a technically sound team, with AS Roma playmaker Miralem Pjanić as their chief instigator. They have already proven they can beat strong African opposition, defeating Ivory Coast 2-1 in a friendly last month. In Manchester City’s Edin Džeko they have a proven goalscorer for a Premier League winning side and will look to him for inspiration. The battle between him and Vincent Enyeama will be really fun to watch. Nigeria’s goalkeeper and Vice Captain is a player of real quality. He repelled Lionel Messi in the 2010 world cup and will look to do the same to Edin Džeko in this one. The Nigerian defence do not provide him with much cover but even on his own Enyeama will be a formidable opponent for Džeko and his teammates.
A win for either side will be a massive boost to their chances of progressing, and both sides will believe they can win. Expect an open game from two even sides who will be fighting for their lives in the competition.

Nigeria vs Bosnia-Herzegovina Preview: Super Eagles Trying to Take Flight

Nigeria vs Bosnia-Herzegovina Preview: Super Eagles Trying to Take Flight - World Soccer Talk

<figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-106190" title="argentina-iran" src="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/argentina-iran.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="296" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17053717/argentina-iran.jpg 500w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17053717/argentina-iran-150x88.jpg 150w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/17053717/argentina-iran-300x177.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px"></figure>
At Noon ET/9am PT today, the eyes of the world will be fixated on the Estadio Mineirao at Belo Horizonte. They will be watching <a href="http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=255931/match=300186466/index.html#nosticky" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Argentina vs Iran</a>, but one man in particular will be the focus of almost all the attention. A few days ago, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2014/06/15/leo-messi-scores-sensational-goal-for-argentina-against-bosnia-video/">Lionel Messi scored his first World Cup goal in 8 years</a> against Bosnia-Herzegovina at the Maracana. He will look to add to his tally, and his already spectacular legacy, with a strong performance against an Iranian side that on paper seem to be the weakest side in the group.
His goal aside, Argentina and Messi in particular seemed very subdued in the first game, especially in the first half. The four time Ballon d’Or winner led the team in giving the ball away frequently with lethargic and purposeless runs, and Argentina as a team will need to be quicker out of the blocks against Iran, who tend to grow into games. That could mean ditching the 5-3-2 they started with initially and going straight to the 4-3-3 they applied in the second half of their tournament opener that seemed to free up space for Messi and his cohorts to work their magic. Unsung hero Angel Di Maria will be key in this game, as he was the only attacking player in the first game that played with verve and imagination for the whole 90 minutes.
That being said, the only potential weakness for Argentina would be if they went into the match with any sort of complacency. According to the FIFA World Cup betting odds, Iran has shown that they do not have any intention of being the whipping boys of Group F that everyone predicted they would be. After a somewhat shaky start, they were <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2014/06/17/nigeria-0-0-iran-teams-finish-scoreless-in-first-draw-of-2014-world-cup/">resilient against an uninventive Nigeria</a>, showing a certain amount of shrewdness in their pragmatic approach to the first game. They did not lose, and now have the psychological power of a point that cannot be underestimated. Iran qualified for the tournament with a solid defensive record, albeit against admittedly weaker opposition. They have already kept a clean sheet against the African champions Nigeria, and will look to do the same against group favorites Argentina. Iran will look to be organized in defense and efficient on the counter attack, something they showed flashes of in the game against the West Africans. Properly utilizing key forward Ashkan Dejegah who was very influential in that game could be vital, as scoring first will be crucial to their chances of springing a surprise.
A win would be euphoric, but they will be satisfied with an unlikely draw, as that would mean that victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina could see them through to the second round for the first time in their history. But first they will have to survive the onslaught from an all-star Argentinian side led by Messi, arguably the greatest goalscorer of all time. As their coach Carlos Queiroz said, they will need to play beyond their limits – but even that might not be enough.
SEE MORE — Read our <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/argentina-world-cup-2014-team-preview/">Argentina World Cup Preview</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/iran-world-cup-2014-team-preview/">Iran World Cup Preview</a>.

Argentina vs Iran Preview: Argentina Aim to Move One Step Closer to Qualifying for Next Round

Argentina vs Iran Preview: Argentina Aim to Move One Step Closer to Qualifying for Next Round - World Soccer Talk

The #1 Source for Soccer TV Schedules, Streaming Links, Cord Cutting Reviews, Soccer News and Interviews With Broadcasters.

latest articles by

News

Nigeria vs Bosnia-Herzegovina Preview: Super Eagles Trying to Take Flight

News

Argentina vs Iran Preview: Argentina Aim to Move One Step Closer to Qualifying for Next Round