Nigeria wins against Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 - 0 at Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba Saturday, finally grabbing their first win in the World Cup since 1998.
Despite Bosnia and Herzegovina's higher possession rate (54%) and more attempts to score a goal, Nigeria's tough defense thwarted and pushed their opponents to the limit throughout the match.
Bosnia and Herzegovina was infuriated after an incorrectly disallowed goal during the first half of the match. Edin Dzeko attacked on the 20th - minute mark, but referees counted it as an offside, nullifying the team's chance of getting a point.
Despite the disallowed goal, Edin Dzeko was not disheartened and still attempted to score points for the team, but penetrating Nigeria's defenses was like taking down a brick wall.
Nigeria took the lead when Peter Odenwingie received from Emmanuel Emenike and attacked with a right-footed shot on the 28th - minute mark of the match.
Bosnia and Herzegovina's coach Safet Susic reacts on the referee's call against Dzeko's goal on BBC Sports: "I was told there was no offside. But this is not the first or last refereeing mistake, not just at the World Cup or elsewhere."
However, he still commends Nigeria's performance in the match. "They surprised us with their speed and movement. They wanted to win probably that much more than us," he adds.
Peter Odemwingie celebrates Nigeria's victory. In an interview in BBC Sports, he says: "It's been 16 years with no victory for our fans. We had to work hard for this - they are a quality team.
"We are happy to bounce back after what people thought was a poor performance in the first game. It was very important to win.
"From now on we're looking upwards. Hopefully these three points will get us through to the second round."
Nigeria will soon face Argentina, who currently leads Group F with 6 points, at Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre on June 25, Wednesday.
