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Tag: Ahmed Musa

  • AFCON 2021: Super Eagles captain, Musa boasts ahead of Egypt clash

    AFCON 2021: Super Eagles captain, Musa boasts ahead of Egypt clash

    Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa says the the team is ready to battle the Pharaohs of Egypt in Group D opening game of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon on January 11.

    Speaking in an interview with the Super Eagles Media Officer after the team’s training session on Saturday at the VSTS-Annex OF Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua, Musa said the team was in high spirits.

    Musa scored a goal in Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Cotonsports on Friday in a practice match to help the players tune up as Augustine Eguavoen prepares to take the team to AFCON glory.

    “It was good as you can see. Yesterday we had training and today, we had another training. All I can say is that we are ready for the first game against Egypt. Thank God the other players we are expecting is in camp this morning and we are still expecting Collins.”

    “Definitely I talk to the players because we know what is important. This tournament we know if we can win it, it’s going to be a big impact to our own country and family too.

    “So we are all ready and we know what we can do. If we give all our best, I know we can win this tournament.”

  • AFCON: Musa warns Egyptians, names Super Eagles player more dangerous than Salah

    AFCON: Musa warns Egyptians, names Super Eagles player more dangerous than Salah

    Ahead of the 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), Nigeria’s Super Eagles skipper, Ahmed Musa has sent a strong warning to the Egyptian national team.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Musa as saying in his warning to the Egyptian that the Super Eagles have players that are more dangerous than Mohammed Salah.

    Speaking during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Musa downplayed the threat of the Liverpool winger ahead of Nigeria’s opener against Egypt.

    Salah, who is the leading goal scorer in the English Premier League (EPL) this season, will be spearheading the attack of the Pharaohs when they face Nigeria in the group D opener billed for January 11.

    Musa said: Egypt “only talk about Salah” while Nigeria has several players that “their defenders too will be thinking about us”.

    He further said: “I know everybody will be talking about Salah, but if you look at our own side, we have a lot of players that they will be worried about.

    “Definitely, we don’t have to think about Salah. They have to think about our own players. They only talk about Salah, but we have Chukwueze and a lot of players from the wing that are more dangerous, and their defenders too will be thinking about us”.

    The 33rd AFCON will kick off in Cameroon on January 9 and run till February 5, when a new continental champion will emerge.

  • Qatar 2022 Qualifier: ‘No pressure’ ahead Cape Verde clash – Ahmed Musa

    Qatar 2022 Qualifier: ‘No pressure’ ahead Cape Verde clash – Ahmed Musa

    Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa has assured that the Super Eagles are mature, professional, and ambitious enough to deal with any pressure when taking on the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde in Tuesday’s crucial game of Group C of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying African series.

    Nigeria lead the group C table after five matches with 12 points, Cape Verde follow closely with 10 points and that explains the importance of the encounter in Lagos.

    After a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Liberia in Tangier, the former Leicester City forward confirmed the team has the right mindset to execute tomorrow’s mission.

    “There will always be all kinds of pressure when you are out there on the football field, as a professional sportsman or woman. You just must have strong fibre to cope with the pressure from everywhere, focus on getting the result and get the job done. Pressure is never an excuse not to put out your best; sometimes, it helps you to get beyond your level best,” Musa stated.

    At a pre-match press conference earlier on Monday in Lagos, Musa who holds Nigeria’s record international appearance also said a number of players in the squad are yet to feature at the FIFA World Cup finals and that will serve as good motivation.

    “The FIFA World Cup is the biggest stage for every professional football player. They all want to be there; you don’t need any more motivation than that. We said after the match with Liberia in Tangier on Saturday that we will not be going for a draw against Cape Verde. Nothing has changed.”

    Musa also assured that the Eagles will not be complacent or underrate the Sharks but will go all out as from the blast of the whistle by Algerian referee Mustapha Ghorbal.

  • Ahmed Musa becomes most-capped Super Eagles player

    Ahmed Musa becomes most-capped Super Eagles player

    Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, now holds the record for most appearances made for the Nigerian national team.

    The 29-year-old has eclipsed Joseph Yobo and Vincent Enyeama.

    Musa reached this milestone after coming on to replace Kelechi Iheanacho in the 86th minute of a 2022 World Cup qualifier against Liberia on Saturday.

    The winger had equalled Yobo and Enyeama’s record having earned his 101st cap in the 2-0 win over the Central African Republic on October 10.

    Musa made his senior debut on August 5, 2010, in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar.

    He scored his first goal for the Super Eagles in an international friendly against Kenya in March 2011 and has played at two AFCON tournaments as well as two FIFA World Cups

  • Super Eagles captain speaks ahead of 2022 World Cup qualifier

    Super Eagles captain speaks ahead of 2022 World Cup qualifier

    Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, has said the team is focused on taking three points off Liberia in their FIFA World Cup qualifier on Saturday.

    Musa said that Nigeria can’t afford to lose against Liberia at the Stade Grande de Tangier this weekend.

    Recall that Gernot Rohr’s men recently defeated the Lone Star 2-0 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

    “As you can see everyone is happy and we are ready for the game. We have 22 players here. Tomorrow, we are expecting the goalkeeper (John Noble) and Odion Ighalo,” Musa told the Super Eagles media.

    “We know the importance of the game, we can’t afford to lose. We have to go for the three points. At the end of the game on Saturday, we hope to celebrate another important win.”

    The match will kick-off at 6 pm Nigerian time.

  • NFF accepts FIFA correction, Ahmed Musa has 98 caps not 100

    NFF accepts FIFA correction, Ahmed Musa has 98 caps not 100

    The Nigeria Football Federation has admitted error in its earlier counting of Super Eagles’ captain Ahmed Musa’s record.

    The Federation said FIFA was right in its counting, in a statement titled, ‘NFF defers to FIFA on Ahmed Musa’s record’.

    While NFF earlier said Musa had made 100 appearances for the Eagles, FIFA said he had 98 caps for the national team after featuring in Nigeria vs Cape Verde 2022 World Cup qualifier.

    NFF in a statement on Wednesday said deferred to FIFA’s own record of 98 caps for Super Eagles’ captain Ahmed Musa, after the nullification of two of the matches he played in which should have made his tally 100.

    “We defer to FIFA in this regard, so Ahmed Musa has 98 caps. If he features, as expected, in the home-and-away matches against Central African Republic in October, he will clock the tally of 100 and the celebrations will follow in full flow,” NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, said on Wednesday.

  • Super Eagles captain to get N10m for reaching 100 caps

    Super Eagles captain to get N10m for reaching 100 caps

    Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, will receive the sum of N10million from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), for winning his 100th cap for the country.

    This was confirmed by NFF president, Amaju Pinnick.

    Musa achieved the milestone during the World Cup qualifier against Cape Verde on Tuesday.

    The former Leicester City winger started the game, which the Eagles went on to win 2-1 in Mindelo.

    Following the win at the Estádio Municipal Adérito Sena in Mindelo, Pinnick said: “The NFF will give Ahmed Musa N10 million for reaching the 100 caps.

    “We will sustain this gesture and honour our players that hit 100 games henceforth.”

    Musa made his debut for Nigeria at the age of 17 in August 2010.

    He came on to replace John Mikel Obi in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Madagascar.

    Musa becomes the third player to reach 100 caps for Nigeria after Joseph Yobo and Vincent Enyeama.

  • Why I left Kano Pillars for Turkey – Ahmed Musa

    Why I left Kano Pillars for Turkey – Ahmed Musa

    Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, has said he signed for Fatih Karagumruk on a permanent deal because of their philosophy and ambition.

    Musa on Thursday, completed a free transfer to the Istanbul club, signing a two-year contract with the option of an additional year.

    The move ended his brief stay in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), where he penned a short-term deal.

    Musa has now spoken out after finalizing the transfer.

    “I was very impressed with the team’s philosophy, style of play and it’s clearly an ambitious club.

    “I feel wanted and that’s what made all the difference. I want to repay that faith. I can’t wait to link up with my teammates and help the club achieve their ambitions,” Musa BBC Sport Africa.

    Karagumruk were promoted to the Turkish top-flight in the 2019/2020 campaign, ending a 35-year wait for a return to the Super Lig.

  • Ahmed Musa set to dump Kano pillars, may complete Turkey move this week

    Ahmed Musa set to dump Kano pillars, may complete Turkey move this week

    Super Eagles skipper Ahmed Musa is set to exit NPFL giants Kano Pillars in order to complete his summer transfer to a club-side in the Turkish Super Lig in the new week.

    Complete Sports had exclusively reported last month that a Turkish Super Lig club offered Musa a mouth-watering one-year deal that is worth €2.2m (1.05 billion naira).

    According to an American-based agent, Justus who failed to disclose the identity of the Turkish outfit, “the club first offered Musa €2m a year but he turned it down.

    “The president of the club said that they could not go above that amount due to the coronavirus-induced financial problems every club in Europe is facing,” Justus told Complete Sports.

    “However, the club’s president has said that they are desperate to have Musa on their pay-roll next season and have come back with a final offer of €2.2m a year,” he said.

    But it appears Musa has finally reached an agreement with the Turkish side and the 28-year-old attacker will travel to the European country this new week to sign the deal.

    On April 13, Musa sensationally made his return to Kano Pillars for the reminder of the 2020/21 Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

    Amongst the contractual agreement reached between Musa who left Al Nassr in October and Pillars is that anytime he receives any offer abroad, he would be released.

  • Ahmed Musa gives secondary school N2m in Kano

    Ahmed Musa gives secondary school N2m in Kano

    Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has donated the sum of two million naira to the Army Day Secondary School in Kano for the construction of a mosque in the school premises.

    Musa who returned to Kano Pillars a few days ago on a short-term deal, visited the school based in Bukavu Barracks on Thursday before playing in Sai Musa Gida’s friendly match later that same day.

    In addition to his monetary donation, the former Leicester City and Al Nassr striker pledged to provide furniture for the school as solution for the inadequate desks in classrooms.

    The philanthropic gesture was the latest of Musa’s charity to Kano residents as he currently owns a sports and fitness centre in the Northern city of Nigeria.