Birthday Boy Messi Shouldn't Expect Any Gifts From Nigeria

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi wished birthday boy Lionel
Messi all the best on Tuesday but warned the Argentine to
expect no gifts from Nigeria team who will be fighting for their
World Cup lives when the two sides meet in a Group F clash.
While Argentina have already clinched their place in the last 16,
the Nigerians enter Wednesday's match at Beira Rio stadium
with their fate in their own hands, a draw enough to guarantee
they will make the knockout phase.
Anything less and the African champions could find themselves
headed home and Iran, who play Bosnia, progressing in their
place.
One of world soccer's marquee names and most feared strikers,
Messi turned 27 on Tuesday. He will get the chance to celebrate
belatedly in Porto Alegre along with 80,000 of his Argentine
compatriots who are expected to flood into this gritty port city
for the match.
But the Super Eagles hope there will be no other reason for an
Argentine party.
"Oh, it is his birthday, happy birthday. That's a great day,"
laughed Keshi. "My team and I want to wish him a very happy
birthday, we wish him a healthy long life and we will see him at
the game tomorrow. That's it."
Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama who also congratulated
Messy with 27th birthday said: "Messi is one of the best players
in the world and everybody knows it. But it is not a game
between me and him.
"It is going to game between Nigeria and Argentina. Everybody
is talking about Messi but there is (Gonzalo) Higuain (Angel) Di
Maria there is a whole lot of players.
"Messi is a genius, Messi is probably one of the greatest players
football has every produced but you cannot rule out other
players," the goalkeeper added.
Enyeama knows better than most the challenge that awaits on
Wednesday but will not be afraid of another showdown with
Messi.
At the 2010 World Cup, Enyeama stood tall against Messi and
the vaunted Argentine attack before falling 1-0 to the South
Americans through a goal from defender Gabriel Heinze.
Over the four years Enyeama said he has studied tapes of Messi
and is well prepared to face him again.
"I have watched tape of my opponents. We have done that has a
team," said Enyeama. "We have studied what their strengths
are, what their weaknesses are so it is not for me to stand here
and tell you what I see in these tapes.