Beijing: Underdogs Nigeria believe they have the attacking weaponry to pressure Argentina's defence in the much-anticipated men's football Olympic gold medal match at the Bird's Nest on Saturday.
Nigeria already have the psychological edge from winning the corresponding final 12 years ago in Atlanta to become the first African Olympic champions, but Argentina go in as favourites after their 3-0 mastery of Brazil in Tuesday's semi-finals.
It's a showpiece decider for the football connoisseur, two lavishly-talented outfits with a panache to go forward and attack and resile from a negative, defensive mindset.
Argentina have the scintillating skills of Spanish-based trio Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Fernando Gago, but that will not put off Nigeria having a crack back through their attackers Peter Odemwingie and Victor Nsofor Obinna supplemented by wide players, Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi and Solomon Okoronkwo.
The Nigerians love to take on rival defences and they will have no intention of sitting back to trying to stifle the mercurial Messi, rather they will look to pressure the Argentinian back four as much as they can.
But that will have to be tempered with tactical discipline, resisting the urge to commit too many men forward and leave themselves open to the slick Argentine counter-attacks, usually focused around the explosive pace of Barcelona superstar Messi.
'We have to play like (coach Samson Siasia) told us, and not have everyone trying to do something special," Hertha Berlin striker Okoronkwo said. "We have to play simple and conserve energy."
But much of the destiny of the 2008 Beijing final revolves around how Nigeria handle Messi.
Even when Messi was man-marked by Brazil in their semi-final he still brought about their downfall, setting up Aguero's second goal in the 58th minute when he attracted defenders, yet was able to slip a through ball to Ezequiel Garay on the right flank, and his low cross allowed an unmarked Aguero to tap in from close range.
"We have to make sure we don't give them room to operate," coach Siasia said. "Messi is going to be a handful, we know that. But if you shut off the supply to Messi, it makes it more difficult for him."
Messi brought Nigeria undone in the final of the 2005 FIFA under-20 World Cup in Utrecht when he earned and converted two penalties in a 2-1 win.
"It's still fresh," recalled Siasia. "We actually gave that game up ourselves with the two penalties. But this team has grown, and now we have more experience. I don't think we'll make the same mistakes twice."
Argentina football legend Diego Maradona, a regular at their games in Beijing, is forecasting a 2-0 win for his team in the final.
"Hopefully it will turn out how I say, so that the boys can win the gold medal, because they deserve it," he said.
"But be careful, Nigeria are a good team, we have to respect them, but I am very confident in this team, and in 'Checho' (coach Sergio Batista)," he said.
Argentina, benefitting from a rich crop of exciting under-23 players and well-marshalled by 30-year-old Boca Juniors playmaker Juan Riquelme, are defending the title from their 1-0 win over Paraguay in Athens four years ago.
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