The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ahmed Musa

  • Musa Falls At Home With CSKA

    Musa Falls At Home With CSKA

    Ahmed Musa and his CSKA Moscow teammates saw their winning run from the start of the Russian league halted by Spartak Moscow who beat them 1-0.

    The reigning champions of the Russian league have prior to Sunday’s game won their first three fixtures in the league.

    The game witnessed 10 yellow cards and both teams ended it with 10 players on the pitch with two red cards each in a space of three minutes.

    CSKA Moscow, without last season Russian league top scorer Seydou Doumbia, struggled to bring down the opposition before a penalty from Dmitri Kombarov settled the tie in favour of Spartak Moscow.

    Musa was on from the start and lasted 82 minutes before he was replaced by Konstantin Bazelyuk as the champions chased an equaliser.

    The 21-year-old Nigerian is still searching for his first goal after four games in the league.

    Last season Musa was on target 7 times in 26 games despite missing the last two months of the season following an injury in a cup game.

  • AHMED MUSA BOASTS- I’M IN GREAT FORM FOR WORLD CUP

    AHMED MUSA BOASTS- I’M IN GREAT FORM FOR WORLD CUP

    AHMED MUSA has revealed that the physical condition of the CSKA Moscow players is one of the reasons the club is challenging for two trophies this season.

    The Army Men are only 5 points behind Lokomotiv Moscow in the Russian Premier League standings and are well positioned to defend the Cup having advanced to the semifinals.

    “I feel more than fine. Fatigue is not in sight. Because we had a very long break. We did absolutely nothing in Spain – you train, you rest, you train again … But now we are reaping the fruits of our work.

    “Football is now a joy to us and all because of a lot of forces, ” says Musa to the official website.

    The Nigeria international has found the back of the net 8 times this season in all competitions.

  • Ahmed Musa lifts CSKA in cup

    Ahmed Musa lifts CSKA in cup

    Nigeria international Ahmed Musa scored one of the goals for CSKA Moscow in a 2-0 win over Sokol Saratov to progress to the last eight of the Russian Cup.

    The former VVV Venlo player scored in the 59th minute to double the Army team’s lead.

    Musa told MTNFootball.com he is happy with the victory and goal.

    “It is a very good game for us, we knew we just had to win, we were determined and we got victory,” Musa said.

  • Ranchers Bees sting DSS

    Ranchers Bees sting DSS

    Ranchers Bees coach, Julius Jatau Alhassan has expressed satisfaction with the derby win against DSS FC in the Nigeria National League (NNL) Division A Matchday 2 encounter on Sunday at the Kaduna Township Stadium.

    A brace from winger, Ahmed Musa in the first 10 minutes of the crunch encounter proved adequate to give the Stinging Bees their first three points of the season.

    Alhassan though showered praises on his wards for their gallant performance against city mates, DSS FC however said the side are still work in progress.

    “I’m satisfied with the goal margin though it would’ve been more if not for the glaring missed chances at goal. However, it was tough as expected of any local derby but an encounter we dominated and deservedly won.

    “There are glaring flaws here and there showing that the team are still work in progress, I believe as we progress in the league the players will show more understanding of themselves. We’ve not got where we’re going but we’re on the right path,” said the former Kaduna United coach to supersport.com.

    Alhassan said his side will be targeting their first road trip victory at the Tin City side, Mighty Jets in the midweek Matchday 3 tie at the Rwang Pam Stadium, Jos.

    “Mighty Jets have won one game against Spotlight FC as well as drew one game at TEAP FC and will surely come out strongly to consolidate their decent performance against us but I’m determined to match the side for the three points at stake.

    “Today”s (Sunday) victory against DSS is a big boost going into the game and I’m confident we’ll come back with a positive result,” said Alhassan.

    Ranchers Bees are expected to workout on Monday before heading to the match venue in Jos on Tuesday for the clash at Mighty Jets.

  • Uzoenyi better than Ahmed Musa – Akpoborie

    Uzoenyi better than Ahmed Musa – Akpoborie

    Former Nigeria striker Jonathan Akpoborie has advised coach Stephen Keshi to consider Ejike Uzoenyi ahead of CSKA Moscow forward, Ahmed Musa in his squad to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

    Uzoenyi has been the arrowhead of the Super Eagles attack at the ongoing African Nations Championship scoring three goals in four matches and winning the Man of the Match award thrice.

    In a chat with Goal, Akpoborie made a case for the Enugu Rangers player to spearhead the Super Eagles attack ahead of the Russia-based forward.

    “Ejike Uzoenyi has played well so far in the ongoing Africa Nations Championship and most especially in the quarter-final battle against Morocco which Nigeria won. This definitely throws a lot of question as regards why Ahmed Musa has been playing ahead of him in the Super Eagles,” Akpoborie told Goal in Abuja.

    “Uzoenyi is a more creative player and a more sensible player. Musa is faster but Keshi has a lot of job on his hands to decide who makes the plane to Brazil.

    “Musa creates goals but his finishing has been poor. Before the last Africa Cup of Nations and even the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Musa had many chances but rarely buried them as expected of a player like him,” he said.

    On why he thinks Uzoenyi is ahead of Musa, Akpoborie said the latter is guilty of losing possession.

    “Musa concedes the ball to the opponent and in modern football you need somebody who is economical with the ball and makes his passes to his teammates most of the time, not every time,” he concluded.

  • Why Ahmed Musa could be the surprise package in Brazil

    Why Ahmed Musa could be the surprise package in Brazil

    The globe’s greatest sporting competition has a tradition of unveiling new and exciting players; could 2014 be the year for Nigeria’s young and talented forward?

    The World Cup has a quaint tradition of introducing new players into the global stratosphere. Rarely does a tournament pass without another name being made worldwide and a fresh superstar etching his name into the annals of history.

    Pele and Michael Owen are two characters who were established before a watching public in the 1958 and 1998 tournaments respectively. As a prodigious teenager, Pele conquered the world as Brazil’s bright young thing, while Owen’s goal against Argentina in Saint-Etienne, when only 18, gave the player a sense of immortality and vitality that only the ravages of injuries could undermine.

    Similarly, players such as Marc Overmars and Landon Donovan burst onto the scene at the World Cup in such a way that their progress within the sport would always be drawn back to that original glistening moment in the sun.

    Is there any reason why Nigeria’s Ahmed Musa could not be the latest in the long line of these World Cup wonderkids?

    At the competition, these days, there is a prize, the Young Player of the Tournament Award, which is given to the spectacle’s breakout star. This article outlines why Musa could be that man in 2014.

  • Ahmed Musa falls with CSKA at home

    Ahmed Musa falls with CSKA at home

    • Super Eagles star plays for 79 mins

    Nigeria’s Ahmed Musa was in action for CSKA Moscow in Wednesday’s 3-1 home defeat by Bayern Munich as the Germans became the first side to win 10 consecutive Champions League matches.

    The holders secured victory with goals from Arjen Robben, Mario Gotze and Thomas Muller.

    CSKA had the first chance of the game after five minutes when Zoran Tosic’s strike was deflected wide following a Keisuke Honda corner.

    Bayern opened the scoring 11 minutes later when Robben struck a powerful finish beyond goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev after being picked out by Muller. Robben nearly made it two shortly after but the Dutch winger was flagged offside when he connected with a Toni Kroos cross.

    The hosts improved after the break and almost levelled matters within two minutes of the restart when Honda was played through on goal, but Manuel Neuer came out to collect the ball from his feet.

    Bayern doubled their lead ten minutes into the second half when Gotze jinked his way past several CSKA players and fired a composed finish beyond Akinfeev.

    CSKA were awarded a penalty on 61 minutes when Dante was penalised for handball, and Honda sent Neuer the wrong way to reduce the arrears.

    Four minutes later Bayern won a penalty of their own after Robben was tripped in the area, with Muller stepping up to restore the Bundesliga side’s two-goal advantage.

    The hosts came close to pulling a goal back with ten minutes remaining when Tosic’s effort from the edge of the box came back out of the crossbar.

    Robben almost added another goal for Bayern on 87 minutes, but his effort was palmed away by Akinfeev.

  • Ahmed Musa, others blamed for City defeat

    Ahmed Musa, others blamed for City defeat

    Super Eagles midfielder Ahmed Musa and his CSKA Moscow team-mates have been criticized by head coach Leonid Slutsky over their performance in Tuesday’s heavy defeat to Manchester City in a UEFA Champions League fixture at the Etihad stadium.

    The Nigerian international who had just 45 minutes of action could only sit and watch as an Alvaro Negredo’s hat-trick ensured Manchester City moved into the Champions League knockout phase for the first time with a comfortable win over CSKA Moscow.

    Sergio Aguero was the initial inspiration, scoring two and setting up another for Negredo as City scored three times inside the first half-hour to make it a straightforward night for Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

    Slutsky felt CSKA Moscow contributed to their own downfall against Manchester City after suffering a 5-2 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.

    “We made a lot of mistakes. Obviously we were playing against players of a high level, but those mistakes were our fault.

    “We lost because of ourselves, while in Bavaria it was mostly down to the level of the other side. How can you be psychologically ready when after the first minute you concede a goal and then three goals during the first half?

    “There was a lot of freedom to attack but we were unbalanced in defence. Obviously when we had chances we scored but we should be quite alert. With such a tough team as Man City you have to be alert because they can be fatal in a split-second,” Slutsky was quoted as saying on Sky Sports.

    Bayern Munich lay claim of the group D top spot with 12 points after a 1-0 away victory over Viktoria Plzen in the other fixture of the group while the Etihad boys come in second, three points less than Guardiolar’s men.

    CSKA Moscow on the other hand are placed third with three points while Viktoria Plzen sit bottom of the log with no point.

     

  • JUTH FC no more

    JUTH FC no more

    The league club who gave Eagles star Ahmed Musa his first big break, JUTH FC, have closed shop.

    Gyanga Musa, a goalkeeper of the team, informed MTNFootball.com JUTH have been disbanded and an official of the club further confirmed this.

    “There is no more JUTH FC. We have been disbanded. We just finished meeting with the management (12 noon) and they told us the acting CMD said they don’t have money to spend on the team again,” a devastated Musa told MTNFootball.com.

    A top official of the team further confirmed: “Well, I think that is the true position because we received a letter from the acting CMD to that effect that they won’t be able to fund the team, so we have no choice than to inform the players of the latest development and to switch off the team, but we can never tell may be if a substantive CMD is appointed because the present one is in acting capacity, the story may change and the club return.”

    JUTH FC who hold the record of the first team in Plateau State to play for two seasons consecutively in Nigeria Premier League were relegated to the Nationwide League at the end of the just concluded NNL season.

    The club enjoyed great support from the immediate past CMD, Ishaya Pam, who is a football enthusiast.

    The club have brought many players to limelight, including Ahmed Musa (Super Eagles and CSKA Moscow) who caught his professional teeth with JUTH when he was discovered from Aminchi Academy, Kehinde Fatai (Ex-U20, Ex-U23 and Club Brugge), Willy Adams (Sudan), Babawo Mohammed (now a licensed player agent), Uche Agbo (U20 star) and Tochukwu Nwankwo (USA) just to mention a few.

    Other players who have played for JUTH include Eze Fidelis, Hassan Hussein, Kelechi Okoye, Kamaldeen Sikiru, James Amankwei, Musa Yawale, Sunday Omolade, Thomas Kemeh, Walter Peter, Emmanuel Abba, Victor Yakubu, James Amankwei and Danjuma Ibrahim among others.

  • Robbers raid Eagles player’s home

    Robbers raid Eagles player’s home

    Armed robbers raided the home of Super Eagles forward, Ahmed Musa, in Jos on Wednesday night.

    The CSKA Moscow forward told MTNFootball.com that the gunmen numbering about 10 stormed his house close to the Plateau State Government House in the posh neighbourhood of Rayfield few minutes past 11 in the night and carted away cash and valuables.

    “Armed robbers went to my house in Jos and attacked my mother, they hit her on the head with gun, but I thank God she is okay. She was taken to the hospital after the robbery by my sister,” Musa toldMTNFootball.com.

    “I was told about 10 of them came, tied the security man. They actually came for my wife thinking she was still around as my mum said they asked after her. She went to Jos with my mother, but she has since returned to Kano.

    “It was a pity such thing happened. I thank God they didn’t hurt anyone so badly. They stole money, LED TVs, mobile phones and other valuables.”

    Ahmed Musa is back in Nigeria for Saturday’s crunch 2014 World Cup qualifier against Malawi and he maintained the incident will not affect him.

    “It won’t affect me as I am focused on the weekend match. No one was hurt seriously and what they stole is nothing,” he further told MTNFootball.com.