Nigeria return to action Tuesday for their 2018 World Cup Group D final fixture against Argentina at Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg with one man under sharp focus.
Ahmed Musa, the hero in the Super Eagles 2-0 victory against Iceland on Friday, will be a pivotal player for the West Africans and all eyes will be on him.
His brace in the game was the difference as the three times African champions bounced back after losing 2-0 to Croatia in the first match.
The 25-year-old Leicester City forward will be called upon again to deliver against the floundering Argentines, who are winless in two outings.
The South Americans were held 1-1 by Iceland and lost 3-0 to Croatia in their past two fixtures and badly needed Nigeria to beat Iceland for them to remain in contention for a spot in the round of 16.
The Tuesday match will therefore will be a do or die encounter.
Even though Nigeria have lost all the past four encounters against Argentina at the finals, Musa boasts an impressive record against any side Lionel Messi plays for.
In the 2014 showpiece in Brazil, he scored twice as they narrowly went down 2-3 Argentina at the group stage.
After the World Cup Musa signed for Leicester from CSKA Moscow and played a preseason friendly against Barcelona scoring twice again against the Messi’s club.
Messi, regarded as the “greatest of all time” is yet to score at the Russia meet in two matches.
His 11 shots against Iceland yielded nothing, while Musa only needed three to bury the debutants.
Musa is now the all-time top scorer for Nigeria with four goals; he also became the first player to score for the Super Eagles in two World Cups.
