JOHANNESBURG // Be prepared, this World Cup, for Argentina to behave in contrary ways. It is in their head coach's nature. One day Diego Maradona is all rough-edged, foul-mouthed controversialist, the next he is urbane charm, smartly suited, charming his audiences. That was Maradona yesterday, his first three points in the bag after a 1-0 win in Group B against Nigeria. His Argentina had been entertaining, attacking and occasionally brilliant. Lionel Messi had shone for his country in the way he glitters for Barcelona, a reassuring performance for those of Messi's compatriots who doubt that the World Player of the Year can carry on his excellent domestic season under the watch of Maradona. Yet for all his creativity, Argentina's firepower was strangely disengaged. The decisive goal came not from one of their prolific scorers, a Messi, a Gonzalo Higuain, a Carlos Tevez or a Diego Milito, but from that most rugged, unfussy of defenders, Gabriel Heinze. Heinze scored after six minutes, meeting a Juan Sebastian Veron corner with a forceful header directed into the top corner fully 15 metres from goal. After that, Argentina played with confidence and flair, Messi seeing a good deal of ball, switching positions with Higuain and Tevez, Veron prompting intelligently. The fact that none of the three strikers added to the score was almost entirely down to some excellent goalkeeping by Vincent Enyeama. Enyeama prevented four possible Messi goals. For one he dived low and swiftly to paw away a drive. When Messi aimed high, Enyeama sprang, feline-like, to reach out a right hand. In a duel with Messi, he spread out his limbs and reduced the target. Poor Messi began to fell cursed. So did Higuain. Two splendid stops by Enyeama also kept the Real Madrid striker off the scoresheet. Gradually, the goalkeeper's performance seemed to galvanise his colleagues. Nigeria, whose full-back, Chidi Odiah had given the ball away in the lead-up to the decisive Veron corner, were second-best most of the afternoon, but at only a goal down, they always retained a chance. "We suffered a bit knowing that they might just get an equaliser," admitted Maradona. His opposite number, Lars Lagerback, the Swede taking charge of Nigeria for the first time in a competitive match, had made some telling substitutions to keep Maradona on edge. The introductions of the swift Obafemi Martins and Peter Odemwingie early in the second half stretched Argentina more than they had been used to in the first hour and Martins drew a strong save from Sergio Romero in the Argentina goal.
Odemwingie, meanwhile, wasted an opportunity when he lost control of the ball with only the goalkeeper in front of him. Taye Taiwo's drive 20 minutes from time also skimmed past Romero's left-hand post. For Maradona, it had been emotional day, far beyond the result. Sixteen years ago, after a World Cup group match against Nigeria, his international playing career had come to an end when he was asked to undergo a routine doping test. He failed it and the years between then and now, and what seemed an unlikely role as a his country's head coach, have been full of ups and downs. "It was lovely to be out on the pitch again at a World Cup," Maradona said. "In 2006 I was with Argentina as a fan. Today, I spent some of the morning with my grandchild and then I was on the field again as a coach. "It was a great feeling and I'm pleased we got a result to make our people happy. "But you can't dwell on it. There is a long way still to go, so many decisions to make, and the World Cup moves on at Formula One speed." sports@thenational.ae Man of the match:Vincent Enyeama
