Nigeria’s quest to win their maiden FIFA U-20 World Cup trophy will face a stiff test today in Santiago, when they face old foes, Argentina, in a round of 16 game today at the Chilean city.

Both countries have fought memorable battles in the FIFA World Cup finals, FIFA U20 World Cup finals and at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament, but the most recent remains Nigeria’s spectacular 2-0 defeat of the Albiceleste in a Round of 16 encounter when Argentina hosted this championship two years ago.

Two decades ago, the Flying Eagles narrowly lost 1-2 to the Argies in The Netherlands, both Argentine goals coming through penalty kicks converted by Lionel Messi, while Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi scored a brilliant goal for Nigeria.

Argentina have won the FIFA U-20 World Cup six times, while Nigeria have finished with the silver medals twice (1989 and 2005) and the bronze once (1985), but there will be no inferiority complex on the part of the seven-time African champions when they take the pitch of the Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos in Santiago from 8.30 p.m. Nigeria time.

Self-belief, sense of purpose and pride, and resilience got the wards of Aliyu Zubair through the group stage, with four points off Saudi Arabia and Colombia, and the Colombians are unlikely to forget how the West Africans dominated a game they (Colombia) were tipped to easily win.

Thrice, the Flying Eagles struck the bar in the encounter at the Estadio Fiscal de Talca, and earned a deserved point at the end when captain Daniel Bameyi cooly converted a penalty kick conceded in desperation by the South Americans as the tireless Nigerian attack went on the rampage once more.

The Flying Eagles arrived in Santiago from Talca, on Monday evening, and had a training session on the venue last night ahead of the clash with the Argies.