Goals: None
Recap: Neither Iran nor Nigeria had much to offer at the Arena da Baixada on Monday, ending a lackluster affair in a 0-0 draw.
It took more than 1,000 minutes of competitive football, but the 2014 World Cup saw its first tie of the tournament. Even worse, it's first scoreless contest. Of the 19 combined attempts from both teams, only five managed to land on target, the closest coming off the head of Reza Ghoochannejhad in the first half.
The draw keeps both teams in the running for second place in Group F.
Follow Sports World News' Complete World Cup Coverage Here
Key Moment: Nigeria's best chance to find a match-winner came in the first minute of stoppage time thanks to Shola Ameobi. A smashing header destined for the back of the net was denied and parried safely by the Iranian defense, leaving much to be desired in Curitiba.
Man of the Match: No player was more active for Nigeria than right-back Efe Ambrose. The 25-year-old had the third most touches for the Super Eagles (82), winning two tackles, intercepting three balls and completing 96 percent of his passes.
Lesson Learned: Group F belongs to Argentina. Bosnia-Herzegovina should have little, if any difficulties securing the runner-up spot. The footballing talents both Iran and Nigeria possess are no match for the superior quality of the Group F favorites.
Up Next: Iran travels to Belo Horizonte on June 21 to face Argentina, while Nigeria visits Cuiaba to meet Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.