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IBARAKI, Japan (Reuters) -- Argentina's economy is in crisis, bank accounts have been frozen and life savings are under threat, but the credit rating of the nation's football account remains as high as ever. The Argentine Football Association -- despite their annual $250,000 payout from FIFA -- are so broke the players have waived their fees to play in the World Cup and even coach Marcelo Bielsa is reportedly working here without remuneration. But on Sunday, after a tough game against an increasingly committed and motivated Nigeria, the stock of favourites Argentina at the World Cup finals rose appreciably. The three points picked up courtesy of Gabriel Batistuta's winning goal will have brought more joy to the streets of Buenos Aires than if the stock market had risen by 100 points overnight and the peso had reversed its sharp decline. Argentina believe they can win this World Cup being co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. Ominously for everyone else, they might have got the poor performance that blights all good teams out of the way already. Or rather, one poor half. SHAKY START Although Argentina were quick to impose their authority with their typical all-attacking game, they were unable to break down a stubborn Nigerian defence in which goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu was outstanding and those in front of him totally uncompromising. A feature of the African teams who have so far played in this year's finals is the sheer physical strength and height of their defenders and Issac Okoronkwo typified that here in the heart of the Nigerian defence. He, along with Efe Sodje kept the potent strike force of Batistuta and Ariel Ortega under control for just over an hour, but ultimately one mistake consigned Nigeria to defeat. Although their approach play was fractured and their strikers failed to make an early breakthrough, Argentina never stopped coming forward in search of goals. Eventually their perseverance paid off when Batistuta scored. POOR DEFENDING Ironically, Nigeria conceded the goal because of poor defending. Juan Sebastian Veron's corners had caused their defence problems throughout the match -- and Batistuta twice went close to scoring before finally finding the net. In the first half, in what was almost a dress rehearsal of his goal, he headed just wide at the far post, while in the second he was desperately close from a similar position again with a shot that went wide. Showing a naivete that was to cost them dear, Nigeria failed to pick up Batistuta when he went on a decoy run in the box in the 63rd minute. Yet another deep Veron corner sailed towards the far post, yet again the defenders missed it but this time -- as if he had adjusted his mental sight-screen after his first-half miss -- he directed the ball perfectly towards the centre of the goal. It hit Sodje's leg as it crossed the line, but by then Batistuta was already in ecstasy -- and the goal was a special one making Batistuta -- "Batigol" to his fans -- only the 10th player in World Cup history to score 10 or more goals in the finals. He now needs another four to equal the all-time record of 14 goals set by West Germany's Gerd Mueller in 1970 and 1974 -- and given the number of chances he has in a game, that record is within reach if Argentina progress as expected. He also repaid the faith shown by Bielsa who gave him the nod over Hernan Crespo in the starting line-up. Crespo replaced him after 80 minutes and went close himself with a curling shot that was narrowly wide just before the end. The Argentinian economy may well be in a state of deep gloom but when the likes of Crespo can emerge for a walk-on part in the last few minutes, the country, in one sense, really does have real riches at its disposal.
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