The game as art was not high drama. Knowing conservative when he sees it, former President George Bush and a few well-armed companions departed Foxboro Stadium in the 88th minute of Saturday’s match, confident of the status quo.
Does Bush know his soccer?
Argentina, adept at ball control and theatrical pratfalls, played keep-away in a scoreless second half Saturday and held on to defeat Nigeria, 2-1, before 54,453.
Yet, in the sweat-shop heat of the postgame interview area, tempers spanning two continents came to a boil.
Both teams, it seemed, were victims.
“We hope, we pray to God, that we have a chance to play Argentina again,” Nigeria Coach Clemens Westerhof said. “And maybe we can have a different referee.”
From the winning side, Diego Maradona screamed: “There was no fair play in the game. I had to jump high to take care of my legs.”
Westerhof: “Maybe far back in his past, the referee is related to Maradona.”
Alfio Basile, the Argentina coach: “Four or five of my players are quite beat up after the game.”
It went on like this. The man in the middle was Bo Karlsson, the Swedish referee.
Yet, it was difficult to tell whether Karlsson was the worst referee FIFA has to offer or merely a sounding board for soccer nations caught up in a budding rivalry: Argentina, the venerable champion, against Nigeria, the next contender.
With the victory, Argentina clinched Group D with six points and advances to the second round. Nigeria can clinch a second-round berth with a victory over Greece on Thursday.
Saturday, the teams appeared to be posturing for a rematch.
Based on statistics, Argentina can make a strong case that it was mugged. The Nigerians were called for 33 fouls to Argentina’s five. Three Nigerians received yellow cards; Argentina drew only one.
Maradona was fouled eight times.
Nigeria, which plays a more physical game, took an early 1-0 lead when Rashidi Yekini’s pass set up a Samson Siasia goal in the eighth minute.
Argentina countered with two goals by forward Claudio Caniggia, both set up by Nigerian fouls. On the first, Caniggia pounced on a rebound after teammate’s Gabriel Batistuta shot had bounced off Nigerian goalkeeper Peter Rufai.
Maradona, who played a lively first half, had set up Batistuta with a nice pass.
Caniggia’s second goal, the difference in the match, resulted after a free kick outside the left corner of the penalty area. Maradona had caught the Nigerians napping and quickly nudged a pass left to Caniggia, who hooked an unstoppable shot past Rufai into the upper right corner of the net.
Meanwhile, the Nigerians were tending to other matters.
“I congratulate Argentina on scoring two goals while my players were busy talking with the referee,” Westerhof said.
True?
“Yes, we did do that, two times.” said Yekini, Nigeria’s best player. “They took off while we were complaining. Next time we talk, we will hold the ball. This is our first World Cup. We are learning.”
Though Maradona took eight fouls and claimed numerous others, the Nigerians thought his act should warrant lifetime membership in the Screen Actors Guild.
“Maradona is a great actor,” a Nigerian journalist muttered after the game.
Tactically, the teams could not be much different. Nigeria prefers the physical game that leads to long kicks to its speedy forwards.
The Argentines, as they proved continually in the second half, are adept at ball control.
Nigerians claim referees protect Argentina’s finest because they are more famous. They said the referee made them so gun-shy with his quick first-half whistles they were afraid to attack.
If it was Argentina’s plan to bait its opponent into such a trap, the plan worked.
But Nigerian fans did not take it sitting down. At the close of the first half, Karlsson was berated with whistles and boos from a small, outraged group in the stands as Karlsson exited the field.
At one point, seven state troopers converged on one rooter and removed him from the stadium.
Uche Okechukwu, a Nigerian defender, said Maradona is guilty of wielding undue influence.
“I think so, in my heart, yes,” Okechukwu said.
Added Westerhof: “(Maradona) played well at first, but later he became tired and complained like a baby.”
Maradona, meanwhile, said he took a ‘terrible hit” to the jaw that will require an X-ray today.
All merely fodder for Round 2?
“I liked Nigeria a lot until today,” Maradona said.
