WORLD CUP: A dull, drab affair as Iran hold Nigeria

GROUP F

IRAN 0-0 NIGERIA

MONDAY 16TH JUNE – CURITIBA

After being spolit with goals for whole tournament so far, the inevitable has happen when Iran and Nigeria played out a drab and dull goal-less draw in Curitiba this evening.

With Argentina and Bosnia and Herzegovina to play, this game would seem to be the best chance of points in Group F for the Iranians and Nigerians. However, after 90 dire minutes, Iran were celebrating more than the Nigeria were, as Carlos Queiroz’s side set out to keep a clean sheet.

In all honesty, Stephen Keshi’s side helped them in their cause after failing to test Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi throughout the match. Boasting Premier League players like John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses, the Nigerians failed to gel and break down a very organised and disciplined Iranian back four.

Each side when had possession in the final third, panicked and lacked any real quality to cause any problems to either side’s goal. Nigeria, with great speed on the wing with Ahmed Musa, did not look likely to score with Spartak Moscow attacker Emmanuel Emenike up top until Shola Ameobi arrived as a second half substitute.

The experienced Ameobi, recently becoming a free agent since being released from Newcastle United, was barking out orders and trying to organise the attack into some threatening situations. Meanwhile, Ameobi had the best chance of the game after working hard to get in front of Amirhossein Sadeghi and flick a header wide.

Disappointing from the Nigerians, but Iran stuck to their game and rarely threatened and left with a hard fought point.

TEAMS

IRAN: Haghighi, Heydari (Shojaei 89), Haji Safi, Hosseini, Sadeghi, Nekounam, Teymourian, Montazeri, Ghoochannejad, Dejagah (Jahanbakhsh 73), Pooladi.

GOALS: Teymourian 75.

BOOKINGS: None.

NIGERIA: Enyeama, Ambrose, Omeruo, Oboabona (Yobo 29), Oshaniwa, Onazi, Mikel, Musa, Azeez (Odemwingie 69), Moses (Amoebi 52), Emenike.

GOALS: None.

BOOKINGS: None.