Arg/Nigeria gold medal game

Why not? I was late to my computer, but no one has scored yet.

Ambruse Vanzekin (G)
2 Chibuzor Okonkwo (D)
4 Onyekachi Apam (D)
5 Dele Adeleye (D)
13 Adefemi Olubayo (D)
8 Sani Kaita (M)
12 Ajilore Oluwafemi (M)
10 Isaac Promise (F)
9 Victor Nsofor Obinna (F)
11 Solomon Okoronkwo (F)
14 Peter Osaze Odemwingie

Argentina

18 Sergio Romero (G)
2 Ezequiel Garay (D)
3 Luciano Fabian Monzon (D)
4 Pablo Zabaleta (D)
12 Nicolas Pareja (D)
5 Fernando Gago (M)
10 Juan Riquelme (M)
14 Javier Mascherano (M)
11 Angel Di Maria (F)
15 Lionel Messi (F)
16 Sergio Leonel Aguero (F)

15 - Nigeria isn't backing down. They're using their speed well to push Argentina back.
18 - Romero grabs the ball in the box.
20 - Riquelme and Messi hook up well on the give and go, but Nigeria's defense then presses in and gets the ball back.
21 - Zabaleta on the wing sends in a cross, but it's cleared.
22 - Messi in the box, cuts back, beats one guy, trips, appeals for a penalty, ref denies it.
23 - Romero has to clear outside of his box and he hits the ball awkwardly. Argentina get away with it, though, as their midfielders claim the ball.
27 - Nigeria is pressing in on the Argentine goal. Argentina is forced to defend and they look unaccustomed to the task. Landon Donovan mentioned that, said, "They hate to defend."
30 - Odemwingie with a shot - wide. Still, it's the guys in green who look dangerous.
31 - Wow, I've never seen this before. The heat in China is so bad that they're letting the players take a break and drink. Players are drenching themselves in water.
34 - Messi and Aguero nearly connect right at the top of the box, but the final pass fails.
35 - The ball falls to Promise in the box as Nigeria push hard for a goal. Promise doesn't get a real shot off, but the ball pops up and Romero has to grab it.
37 - Odemwingie nearly gets by on the endline, but the ball bounces over the line. Goal kick
39 - Balboa keeps going on about how Argentina isn't playing well. They do look tired. Zabaleta crosses, and now Argentina has a corner.
40 - Corner is short, but leads to a header chance - right to Vanzekin.
41 - Balboa rips Kun for not taking a shot. His cross gets too far and it's a throw.
43 - Zabaleta just gave up on that pass. Argentina is definitely tired. Or drained from the heat.
44 - Odemwingie nearly gets to a long pass in the box - but he's bumped off the header and Romero collects.
45 - Monzon from 40 feat and it's on frame! Vanzekin has to dive to push the ball out.
45 + Corner is cleared. Messi drives in, sends ball out, Nigeria are falling over each other in the box trying to clear. They eventually do.
Halftime.
As Messi walks off the field, about three Nigerian players push him, but in front, so the ref can't really see. Balboa mentions they're trying to provoke a retaliation. Messi just bats their arms away. Actually, he's so short, they look like bullies pushing him around.
47 - Argentina has been better this half already, threatening to score and looking lively.
50 - Save! Vanzekin! He denies Messi after a spin move freed him for the shot.
51 - Yellow card. Zabaleta got hit and the ref pulls the card quickly.
55 - Nigeria with a rejuvenated stretch of play. It leads to a shot that way high, but the ball was in Argentina's half for a matter of minutes.
57 - Nigeria again circles the Argentine goal. If Argentina breaks, they will have space.
58 - GOAL! Di Maria gets a fabulous, perfect pass from Messi, and breaks toward goal. Vanzekin comes out and Di Maria chips him delicately. 1-0 Argentina.
61 - This Argentina can do - hold the ball and teasingly possess it, fall over on fouls as a suddenly desperate Nigeria try to score.
64 - Save! Romero gets ball and holds.
65 - A scramble near the Argentine goal. It results in a Nigerian corner.
66 - Corner is cleared. Argentina release the counter leisurely. They're in no rush.
68 - Argentine FK as Di Maria was brought down there. Riquelme take the kick, but it's headed out for a corner. Messi takes it short, gets the ball back and fires a low shot that Vanzekin catches.
70 - Ekpo is getting ready to come in. MLS representing in the goldmedal match! Water break here, too.
72 - Ekpo sends in a cross, gets to Argentina, but a forward crashes in on it and the ball is pushed toward goal, surprising Romero, who dives late. Lucky for him, it's wide.
74 - Di Maria gets beaten and yanks hard on the shirt of his man to kill the counter. He gets yellow.
75 - Ball in the box ! Ekpo nearly gets to it. Argentina lucky there. Then the world is lucky to watch Messi's skill on display as he makes a run and beats three defenders before getting the pass off - the ball is out for a corner.
76 - Short corner needs to another Argentine attack and Vanzekin has to dive and smother the ball.
78 - Messi on the break! Okonkwo just saves it by getting a touch on the ball. Balboa goes on about how short Messi is and thus hard to knock off the ball.
79 - Ekpo lays the ball off and the ensuing shot is - high. Not a bad effort, though.
80 - Kun Aguero is off for Sosa. He trudges off tiredly.
82 - ooh, yellow card for time wasting on Argentina's Garay.
83 - Now Riquelme sees the same card for the same reason.
84 - Romero saves a shot! And perhaps the gold for Argentina there.
86 - Anichebe pushes off Riquelme. He takes his time with the free kick, but not as long as before.
88 - Di Maria is down and a stretcher comes out for him. Argentina could be timewasting there.
89 - Ever Banega is in.
90 - Nigeria have a corner here. Messi plays a little defense, takes the ball off Obinna and skips out on the counter. He's pulled down for a FK.
90+ Ekpo nearly stopped on the sideline, but he hustles to get the ball out to a teammate and is successful.
Ekpo helping Nigeria threaten, but then gets called for a high kick.
Messi is subbed out, as the fans roar his name. He really set up that goal. Lavezzi is in.
Ball in the box! But Argentina clear.
Riquelme gets the ball in midfield, turns and releases Lavezzi, who touches to Sosa, who pops the ball out to the wing instead of going for goal. Lavezzi gets there and babysits the ball until he gets pushed down. Great timewaster and perfectly legal.
Romero catches a long ball.
Final whistle! Argentina wins! They win gold! They repeat as champions and deservedly so. If Messi is going to flake out on his club commitment to Barca, this is the way to return - covered in Olympic glory.


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