GROUP F / NIGERIA

*--* World Cup record: Played eight (4-4-0); goals for: 13; goals against: 13 Best finish: Second round in 1994, 1998 1998 showing: Eliminated in second round by Denmark Coach: Adegboye Onigbinde. Late replacement for Shaibu Amodu, who came and went as Nigeria’s coach for the fifth time earlier this year. Onigbinde coached the Super Eagles to the 1984 African Nations Cup final Players to watch: Nwankwo Kanu, Jay-Jay Okocha, Taribo West, Celestine Babayaro In brief: Highly skilled, as always, but straddling the precipice of implosion, as always. Upset Spain to win its World Cup group in 1998, then got pasted by Denmark, 4-1, in the next round. Capable of finishing anywhere, first to fourth, in this group Quick quote: “I know we’re in the group of death, but Nigeria [is] unpredictable. And it’s when people don’t expect anything from us that we’re at our best.”--Striker Bartholomew Ogbeche Forecast: Third or fourth in this group

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