Argentina's Lionel Messi applauding the fans following the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group D match against Nigeria at Saint Petersburg Stadium in Russia on Tuesday — Internet ST PETERSBURG, June 27 (Reuters): Argentina and Lionel Messi progressed to the last 16 of the World Cup by the skin of their teeth on Tuesday after an 86th minute strike from defender Marcos Rojo gave them a 2-1 win over Nigeria, eliminating the African side.
Messi had put Argentina ahead in the 14th minute, with a fabulously taken goal but the Africans equalised through a Victor Moses penalty in the 51st minute and the twice World Cup winners struggled to respond to that setback with a ragged second half display.
In front of a massive following of passionate and loud Argentine fans, the game began in ideal fashion for Jorge Sampaoli's side, who had managed just a point from their opening two games. A perfectly weighted diagonal ball over the top by Ever Banega was sublimely brought down on the outside of his thigh by Messi who then drove past Nigeria's teenage keeper Francis Uzoho to open the scoring.
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