Match Report: Argentina 1 - 0 Nigeria

The celebrating throng in sky blue, a besuited Diego Maradona sprinted over the Ellis Park turf. Was this the moment while Argentina’s perfect 10s, present and past, established that they have found the key to a wonderful attack on a third World Cup achievement? Here was perfect synchronization reigning both off and on the playing field as the sorcerer watched his trainee with the same fear the relax of the world must have completed.

After all the understandable question marks over Maradona’s eccentric stewardship, this was a vigorous opening comeback against a flexible Nigeria.

In an attractive and open contest which felt as if it had given the contest its proper takeoff, Argentina were fluid, innovative and emission quality and, even if some of their inattentive defending will offer hope to later oppositions, with Messi in this coruscating mood, anything seems possible. The only thing he didn’t do that was goal, which hardly seems promising.

Vincent Enyeama had the game of his life to make four unbelievable saves to put paid to him — and he also made another some remarkable stops from Gonzalo Higuaín — yet it was still not sufficient to avoid Maradona making a winning comeback to the World Cup finals stage.

Sixteen years since his last dalliance finished in drug-taking humiliation following a match in Boston also in opposition to Nigeria, he was in his constituent again. Suited, booted and tied for his new big business, he went throughout comic-looking joys and agonies on the bench, barked at an authorized and put arms around his young winger Ángel di María while offering suggestion.

And when Gabriel Heinze’s sixth-minute header from Juan Sebastián Verón’s corner bulleted into the net, there looked more than an intimation of relief assorted with 'keeping on sucking it’ justification in his celebrations.

He declared afterwards “It was lovely to be back.” Attractive to see the first part of his wish satisfied, that Messi graces this tournament like he himself did in 1986. “Football is much prettier when he is receiving a lot of the ball like this,” cooed Maradona.

The World Cup desires the Maradona show, too. “The hand of God” has reached, read one banner. Next, they’ll be conversation about Maradona’s 'brain of God’, after his exploratory attacking method with Messi buzzing in from deep at the back Higuaín and the ever-busy Carlos Tévez – much more gratifying than the 4-1-3-2 which he had promised to field after his men had crushed Germany in March — united so pleasantly.

Messi took three minutes to introduce him from deep, whipping three players and flicking the ball inside, only for Higuaín to punch wide. In this week, the Argentina physio had been quoted about the small man’s “irreversible” drowsiness after a very tiring season; the only thing irreversible about him, although, is the talent as he offered his total catalogue of feints, left-footed curlers and mazy dribbles.

“We’re on the way,” told Maradona. “We want to keep the people of Argentina joyful and when you start winning, you start to get the feeling like we did in World Cup 1986. I want the players to now start sharing that feeling.”

Argentina: Messi, Tevez, di Michelis, Higuain (Milito 79), Heinze, Romero, Samuel, Gutierrez, Veron (Maxi 74), Mascherano, Di Maria (Burdisso 85);

Nigeria: Yobo, Taye (Uche 74), Enyeama, Yakubu, Etuhu, Haruna, Odiah, Shittu, Kaita, Obasi (Odemwinge 60); Obinna (Martins 52)