Nigeria's Dream Team IV returned to Lagos on Wednesday from the Beijing Olympics with coach Samson Siasia confessing he was too shy to meet Argentina again.

"I must confess to you that I am now shy to play Argentina for the third time in my career as a coach," he said.

The coach who led the squad to a silver medal in China told reporters on arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos that Argentina had now become his albatross.

According to him, Argentines have beaten him twice, and is now shy to cross their path in any competition.

Siasia led the Flying Eagles, who lost 2-1 to Argentina at the final of the 2005 World Youth Championship held in Holland.

He looked back into the final of the Beijing soccer event where Nigeria lost 1-0 to the South Americans said it was rather painful that he had to concede victory again.

"It was unfortunate for me that I have to play a difficult game against Argentina when I have good players who could win the opponents hands down," he said.

Siasia, who said Argentina was not unbeatable, attributed the defeat to some tactical flaws which arose from injury.

"I am all right with the silver medal my team won, but I was disappointed that Nigeria failed to win the gold medal," he added.

Nigeria's U- 23 team drew with the Netherlands in the opening match, defeated Japan 2-1, and thrashed the United States 2-1, before beating Cote d'Ivoire and Belgium 2-0 and 4-1 respectively to reach the final.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2008)