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Then-Super Eagles custodian, Enyeama, denied Lionel Messi with a plethora of saves at the global showpiece in 2010.
Yakubu Ayegbeni’s extraordinary miss in Nigeria’s final Group B fixture against South Korea at the 2010 World Cup remains the Super Eagles’ standout incident in South Africa; such was the magnitude of that failure with the goal gaping.
However, the retired striker’s miss has slightly overshadowed an outstanding showing by Vincent Enyeama in the West African nation’s tournament opener. Nigeria’s greatest goalkeeper produced one of the finest performances between the sticks to thwart Lionel Messi no less than four times in 90 minutes.
The Background
The encounter at Ellis Park was the third World Cup meeting between the nations, with Argentina getting the better of the Super Eagles in 1994 and 2002. A chaotic preparation for the finals saw Shuaibu Amodu jettisoned after that year’s Africa Cup of Nations before Lars Lagerback’s appointment a few months before the competition’s commencement.
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20:45 - 19.01.2023
MYTHBUSTER Was former Super Eagles boss Lars Lagerback a fraud?
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Disaster brewed heading into the first-ever World Cup to be hosted by an African nation, but Argentina were viewed as the main threat to qualifying for the knockout rounds, with the Super Eagles pooled with Greece and the South Koreans in Group B.
That never materialised as Nigeria secured one point from an available nine, exiting the finals after three games. While that disappointment endures, Enyeama’s showing in that opening fixture lives on in the memory.
What happened?
The Super Eagles were defeated 1-0 by Argentina in Johannesburg on June 12, 2010, but the outcome could have been worse for the three-time African champions.
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Enyeama made a staggering six saves on the day to deny the Albiceleste a more convincing victory over the African side, sparing Nigeria an embarrassing annihilation.
Messi was denied four times, with the Argentina superstar unable to outdo the shot-stopper’s brilliance at Ellis Park. Every save had a distinguishing feature to it. Enyeama was in his element.
The third save got Messi bellowing in frustration; the fourth saw the superstar wear a wry smile after his nemesis pulled off another fine stop.
How did Enyeama deny arguably the greatest player to have played the game and, at the time, the world’s best player?
Vincent Enyeama vs Lionel Messi: Save One
After Chidi Odiah untidily passed to Carlos Tevez in the fourth minute of proceedings, the forward ignored Gonzalo Higuain’s run and passed to Messi.
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Argentina's talisman advanced with the ball into the ‘D’ and shot from outside the 18-yard area, looking to score in the top right corner, but Enyeama got a big right hand to the goal-bound effort.
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While Gabriel Heinze scored from the resulting corner, the tone was set for the rest of the game between Messi and Enyeama.
Vincent Enyeama vs Lionel Messi: Save Two
Nigeria could have found themselves 2-0 down inside 20 minutes but were beneficiaries of their custodian’s shot-stopping.
After receiving Tevez’s pass wide right, Messi carried the ball aggressively and skipped past Chinedu Obasi’s last-ditch attempt to prevent a shot at goal.
However, Enyeama got low to his right to divert the shot away, sparing his team’s blushes.
Vincent Enyeama vs Lionel Messi: Save Three
Seven minutes before the interlude, a clever set-piece routine saw Messi pass to Angel Di Maria rather than cross into the box from the right touchline.
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Drawn to Di Maria, the panic-stricken Super Eagles missed Messi going unnoticed into the penalty area for a successful exchange of passes with his teammate.
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Taye Taiwo failed to show the superstar on to his weaker right foot, allowing Argentina’s No 10 another shot at goal.
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However, Enyeama got fingertips to the shot to prevent the Albiceleste from going 2-0 up — much to Messi’s irritation. That save possibly was the pick of the bunch for the goalie.
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"It was God that did it for me," claimed Enyeama after the game. "I had watched Messi in a few La Liga matches but God is my secret, my friend, he makes the difference in my life – he made me so calm out there."
Vincent Enyeama vs Lionel Messi: Save Four
Both players did not face off until the game’s closing minutes, with Enyeama getting the better of the Argentinean.
After receiving possession in the left half-space, a pair of give-and-goes between Messi and Di Maria opened up the Nigeria defence, bringing the Albiceleste man eyeball to eyeball with the Super Eagles shot-stopper.
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Again, Enyeama made himself big to prevent a second Argentina goal as the match neared its conclusion. Messi wryly glanced at the Nigeria goalkeeper, knowing it was not his day.
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It was a shame the Super Eagles could not take advantage of their goalkeeper’s brilliance at the other end, with fleeting forays forward not converted. Kalu Uche had Nigeria’s best chance at levelling, but the forward failed to hit the target from 12 yards after connecting with Yakubu’s delivery from the right flank.
Enyeama was deservedly named man of the match due to a string of saves in front of just over 50,000 spectators at Ellis Park.
"We're not going to kill ourselves. We have two more games to play." said the goalkeeper after the outstanding performance. "We thank God the score was a little encouraging.”
Messi had the last laugh when both nations played each other four years later, with a brace aiding Argentina’s 3-2 triumph over Nigeria.
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15:54 - 13.07.2023
THROWBACK VIDEO: When Ahmed Musa dared to upstage Lionel Messi at the World Cup
Remembering the events from Porto Alegre in 2014, when the Super Eagles wide attacker threatened to outdo one of the sport’s greatest players when Nigeria did battle with Argentina.
Be that as it may, the events in 2014 should not diminish Enyeama’s performance for the ages four years earlier in South Africa.
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