Gabriel Batistuta's 10th World Cup goal helped World Cup favourites Argentina kick-off their campaign with a hard-earned win in the Group F opener in Ibaraka.

The Argentineans refused to fall by the wayside in the same vein as France and suffer a shock defeat to African opposition despite resilent work by the Super Eagles in defence.

Batitstuta was the main reason for their victory as he lodged a one-man crusade to get the South Americans cup bid up and running in testing conditions in north-east Japan.

His 63rd minute header was richly deserved and the 33-year-old snapped it up with the relish of a man who is more than aware that this is his last time on the world stage.

The warning signs were clear to see for England as their major rivals showed the grace and grit that has become their trademark was not left behind in Beunos Aires.

However, they also looked far from unbeatable and the loss of skipper Roberto Ayala before the start after he injured himself in the pre-match warm-up will trouble coach Marcelo Bielsa.

But with emergency captain Juan Sebastian Veron writing the lines and Diego Simeone making sure his colleagues follow the script, Argentina are certainly a force to be reckoned with.

They were too good for Nigeria on this occasion. They exploded out of the blocks like a cork from a champagne bottle and instantly put their opponents under pressure.

But the best early chance fell to Nigeria. Efe Sodje, who plies his trade in England with Crewe, latched onto an outswinging corner in the third minute but saw his right-footed volley clear the bar.

Batistuta produced an equally speculative attempt on goal moments later when he drilled a shot wide from outside the penalty area. Ariel Ortega then forced the superb Ike Shorunmu to spectacularly tip over the bar.

Pablo Cavallero quickly surpassed the Nigerian keeper's heroics when he thrust himself to his left and tipped over Jay-Jay Okocha's arrowed shot after the playmaker had bewitched with a fleet-footed dribble.

Batistuta then headed wide at the back post after a dangerous Veron corner and Ortega was willing, but Nigeria's superbly organised defence stood firm under pressure and gave Shorunmu some much-needed protection.

The pressure was equally incessant after the break. Batistuta conspired to miss a golden opportunity at the back post when he scuffed Veron's flicked on corner and then smashed a thunderous 20-yard free-kick just over.

The former African champions obtained brief respite with a succession of quick counters but they were soon on the retreat again. Juan Pablo Sorin's forced more impressive work from Shorunmu with a testing half-volley in the box.

But eventually the pressure told. Batistuta finally came up trumps when he met Veron's corner at the back post and nodded past Celetine Babayaro and into the net. The onus is now on England to gain at least a point from their opening Group F game against Sweden in Saitama.