Nigeria 1–2 Argentina: 2018 World Cup match
Nigeria1–2Full time
Match in one glance
NigeriaArgentinaGoalCard
Nigeria
Argentina
0′HT90′FT120′
First half0′–45′Second half45′–90′Extra time90′–120′
Expected goals race
Chance quality as it accumulated. Each step is a shot.
A goal marker sits on the line at each recorded goal. Shootout penalties are excluded — they are not part of the match's expected goals.
Team comparison
NigeriaArgentina
32.7%Possession sequences67.3%
9Shots8
3On target3
1.30Expected goals (xG)0.85
322Passes595
65.2%Pass accuracy80.5%
6Corners22
21Fouls17
Leading shot threats
Ranked by xG- 1VMVictor MosesNigeria · 1 goals0.78xG
- 2
Lionel MessiArgentina · 1 goals0.30xG - 3GGGonzalo Gerardo HiguaínArgentina · 0 goals0.26xG
- 4OJOdion Jude IghaloNigeria · 0 goals0.23xG
- 5OEOghenekaro EteboNigeria · 0 goals0.13xG
Decisive moments
3 eventsPath through 2018
Full tournamentMatch details
Verified record- Round
- First stage, Group D
- Stage
- Group stage
- Date
- 2018-06-26
- Venue
- Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg
- Result
- 1–2
- Coverage
- Score, result and scorers; lineup-derived records available; full lineups, expected goals and shot locations
Scorers
Nigeria / ArgentinaNigeria
Victor Moses (penalty)51′
Complete match timeline
NigeriaArgentinaGoalCardSubstitution
Nigeria
Argentina
0′HT90′FT120′
Chance creation
xG per five minutes · larger peaks = better chancesFirst half0′–45′Second half45′–90′Extra time90′–120′
Event feed
14 eventsKey phases
Goals in each periodFirst half
0′–45′0 – 1L. Messi 14′
Second half
45′–90′1 – 1V. Moses 51′ · M. Rojo 86′
Extra time
90′–120′0 – 0No goals in this period
Event records: © Joshua C. Fjelstul, Ph.D. · CC BY-SA 4.0. Grouped and formatted for this timeline.
Nigeria
3-5-2FU
23Francis UzohoLB
6Leon BalogunWT
5William Troost-EkongKO
22Kenneth OmeruoVM
11Victor MosesBI
2Brian IdowuJO
10John Obi MikelWN
4Wilfred NdidiPE
8Peter EteboKI
14Kelechi IheanachoAM
7Ahmed MusaListed formation · positions are schematic
Substitutes used
- 9OIOdion Ighalo46′
- 13SNSimeon Nwankwo90′+2′
- 18AIAlex Iwobi90′
Match contributions
- Leon Balogun▰ 32′
- John Obi Mikel▰ 90′+1′
- Victor Moses⚽ 1
Full starting XI and recorded positions
- 2BIBrian IdowuLeft winger
- 4WNWilfred NdidiCentral midfielder
- 5WTWilliam Troost-EkongCentre-back
- 6LBLeon BalogunCentre-back
- 7AMAhmed MusaCentre-forward
- 8PEPeter EteboCentral midfielder
- 10JOJohn Obi MikelDefensive midfielder
- 11VMVictor MosesRight winger
- 14KIKelechi IheanachoCentre-forward
- 22KOKenneth OmeruoCentre-back
- 23FUFrancis UzohoGoalkeeper
Argentina
4-4-2FA
12Franco ArmaniGM
2Gabriel Mercado
17Nicolás OtamendiMR
16Marcos Rojo
3Nicolás Tagliafico
14Javier MascheranoÉB
7Éver BanegaEP
15Enzo Pérez
11Ángel Di María
9Gonzalo HiguaínListed formation · positions are schematic
Substitutes used
- 13MMMaximiliano Meza72′
- 19
Sergio Agüero80′ - 22CPCristian Pavón61′
Match contributions
- Éver Banega▰ 64′
- Lionel Messi⚽ 1▰ 90′+4′
- Javier Mascherano▰ 49′
- Marcos Rojo⚽ 1
Full starting XI and recorded positions
- 2GMGabriel MercadoRight-back
- 3Nicolás TagliaficoLeft-back
- 7ÉBÉver BanegaCentral midfielder
- 9Gonzalo HiguaínCentre-forward
- 10Lionel MessiCentre-forward
- 11Ángel Di MaríaLeft midfielder
- 12FAFranco ArmaniGoalkeeper
- 14Javier MascheranoCentral midfielder
- 15EPEnzo PérezRight midfielder
- 16MRMarcos RojoCentre-back
- 17Nicolás OtamendiCentre-back
Portraits may show a later team kit. Starting positions are schematic; unused substitutes are not included. © 2023 Joshua C. Fjelstul, Ph.D. · CC BY-SA 4.0. Names and match IDs adapted.
Passing network
Nigeria
Argentina
Completed passes · both teams attack upwards
Activity zones
Nigeria
10%7%6%20%15%11%11%12%8%
Argentina
10%7%9%20%19%14%9%9%3%
Attacking upwards · rounded shares
Match officials
RefereeCüneyt Çakιr
Team comparison
NigeriaArgentina
32.7%Possession sequences67.3%
9Shots8
3On target3
1.30Expected goals (xG)0.85
322Passes595
65.2%Pass accuracy80.5%
6Corners22
21Fouls17
Expected goals race
Chance quality as it accumulated. Each step is a shot.
A goal marker sits on the line at each recorded goal. Shootout penalties are excluded — they are not part of the match's expected goals.
Shot quality
1.30Nigeria0.85Argentina
1.30Total xG0.85
0.52Non-penalty xG0.85
0.14xG per shot0.11
3Shots on target3
Where the shots came from
Bubble size is the chance's expected-goals value. Filled bubbles are goals.
Nigeria1 goal · 9 shots · 1.30 xG
Argentina2 goals · 8 shots · 0.85 xG
Passing network
Nigeria
Argentina
Completed passes · both teams attack upwards
Activity zones
Nigeria
10%7%6%20%15%11%11%12%8%
Argentina
10%7%9%20%19%14%9%9%3%
Attacking upwards · rounded shares
Attacking
1Goals2
9Shots8
3On target3
25Dribble attempts25
Passing
322Pass attempts595
210Completed passes479
65.2%Pass accuracy80.5%
6Corners22
Defending
23Duels23
27Interceptions13
302Pressures134
21Fouls17
Leading performers
Recorded match actionsVM
Victor MosesNigeria1Goals0Assists0.78xG
Gonzalo HiguaínArgentina0Goals0Assists0.26xG
OJ
Odion Jude IghaloNigeria0Goals0Assists0.23xG
PE
Peter EteboNigeria0Goals0Assists0.13xG
Nigeria
3-5-2| Player | G | A | Shots | Key passes | xG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VM Victor MosesStarter | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.78 |
OJ Odion Jude IghaloSubstitute | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.23 |
PE Peter EteboStarter | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.13 |
LB Leon BalogunStarter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.10 |
WN Wilfred NdidiStarter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.04 |
AM Ahmed MusaStarter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.02 |
BI Brian IdowuStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
JO John Obi MikelStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
KO Kenneth OmeruoStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
KI Kelechi IheanachoStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
Argentina
4-4-2| Player | G | A | Shots | Key passes | xG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel MessiStarter | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.30 |
| Gonzalo HiguaínStarter | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.26 |
| Nicolás TagliaficoStarter | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.13 |
MR Marcos RojoStarter | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.09 |
| Ángel Di MaríaStarter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.07 |
ÉB Éver BanegaStarter | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
| Javier MascheranoStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Nicolás OtamendiStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
GM Gabriel MercadoStarter | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
EP Enzo PérezStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
FA Franco ArmaniStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Performance is shown through recorded statistics. This data source does not provide a player rating or a player-of-the-match award.
Decisive moments
3 eventsPath through 2018
Full tournamentMatch details
Verified record- Round
- First stage, Group D
- Stage
- Group stage
- Date
- 2018-06-26
- Venue
- Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg
- Result
- 1–2
- Coverage
- Score, result and scorers; lineup-derived records available; full lineups, expected goals and shot locations
Scorers
Nigeria / ArgentinaNigeria
Victor Moses (penalty)51′
Data by
StatsBomb
StatsBombExpected goals and event analysis use StatsBomb definitions. Goal, card and substitution timelines use Fjelstul records.
Source: OpenFootball at the pinned revision. Missing assists and minute-level events are not estimated. Lineups, expected goals and shot locations on this page come from StatsBomb event data.