Tag: Ahmed Musa

CSKA Moscow of Russia striker, Ahmed Musa has donated jerseys to his former Club, Kano Pillars as a way of showing appreciation to the team.

The club’s media officer, Idris Malikawa, who revealed this to SportingLife, said the jerseys were presented to the players on Thursday by the club’s chairman, Abba Yola.

Malikawa said the Adidas jerseys which were printed in the club’s colours were sent to Pillars through the team’s welfare officer, Salisu Yaro. The two sets of jerseys were in the home and away colours (Yellow and Green).

“Ahmed Musa has donated Adidas jerseys to Kano Pillars. He sent it about a month ago but we only received it yesterday through our welfare officer, Salisu Yaro. It was unveiled on Thursday by the club’s chairman, Abba Yola.

“It was in two different colours – Yellow and Green – that represent our jerseys including goalkeepers’ kits.

“Abba Yola wants the other ex-players of the club to emulate Ahmed Musa. This is a big way to show appreciation to the club and we really appreciate it,” Malikawa said.

Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa on Saturday won the Russia league and cup double after CSKA Moscow defeated Anzhi on penalties in the cup final.

Army team CSKA had last month toppled Zenit Saint Petersburg as champions of Russia.

And in Saturday’s cup final, former JUTH FC of Jos forward Ahmed Musa put his club ahead in the 10th minute, before Lassana Diarra equalised for Anzhi in the 74th minute.

The cup winners were then decided on penalties with CSKA shading their rivals 4-3.

Musa told MTNFootball.com that his joy knows no bound after winning this double.

“My target when the season started was to win the league because I want to play in the UEFA Champions League again, but during the season, when I saw the way things are going for us in cup games, I begin to also nurse the ambition of winning double and today it has come to pass,” Musa told MTNFootball.com

“We worked hard for it and deserve to win, though it was not easy because Anzhi wanted the trophy as well.”

The Eagles forward thus ended the season with 15 goals, 11 in the league and 4 goals in the cup.

He now joined compatriot Efe Ambrose to end the season with a domestic double in Europe.

Eagles star misses scoring chances lBattles Eto’o’s Anzhi in Cup final June 1

Ahmed Musa’s CSKA Moscow sealed the Russian title with a game to spare following a scrappy 0-0 home draw with Kuban Krasnodar on Saturday.

The lone point was enough to give the Nigeria international and army side pals their first league crown since 2006 and 11th in the club’s history as they now lead last season’s champions Zenit St Petersburg by six points.

Zenit, who have two games left and face Volga Nizhny Novgorod today, could not overtake CSKA because they have a fewer number of total victories.

CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky paid tribute to his team’s fans.

“This victory is for you because you have supported us the whole season,” he told thousands of jubilant supporters, who filled the Khimki arena in suburban Moscow.

On a hot afternoon the home side took the initiative from the start. CSKA missed several chances in the first half, Musa and his Brazilian strike partner Vagner Love were the biggest culprits.

The former Kano Pillars ace wasted another opportunity midway through the second half when he was left unmarked in front of the goal after good work by Russia international Alan Dzagoyev, but his shot was blocked by Kuban defenders. With time running out both teams looked to be content to settle for a draw. CSKA keeper Igor Akinfeyev stopped a close-range header from Kuban’s Senegalese striker Ibrahima Balde in the 89th minute to preserve the vital point for his team and start the celebrations.

Meanwhile, Musa will now have a chance to grab his first league and cup double when they take on Samuel Eto’o’s Anzhi Makhachkala in the Russian Cup final in the Chechen capital Grozny on June 1.

It was brotherly war Sunday in the Russian topflight as Super Eagles duo of Obinna Nsofor and Ahmed Musa traded tackles for their sides Lokomotiv Moscow and CSKA Moscow respectivly. It was however league leaders and visitors CSKA that ran away with an emphatic 1-4 victory over their hosts.

While Nsofor, who saw 65 minutes action failed to score, Musa, who played for 90 minutes before being subtituted in the second minute of extra time, registered his name on the score sheet as early as the 25th minute.

Teammate Vágner Love had opened the floodgate in the 6th minute before Musa increased the tally. Love returned again in the 43rd minute for the visitors’ third goal before the hosts got a consolation in the 55th minute thanks to homeboy Dmitriy Tarasov strike. Just when Lokomotiv were hoping to remedy the situation CSKA struck again this time through Ivoirien international Seydou Doumbia.

Musa, who scored himself below average in terms of performance at the AFCON 2013 in which Nigeria emerged champions, appears to have re-discovered his super form as his performace on Sunday at Stadion Lokomotiv was considered quite impressive by the club’s technical bench led by coach Leonid Viktorovich Slutsky.

Musa joined CSKA in 2012 from VVV Venlo and has made over 36 appearances for the side with 11 goals in his kitty.

•Tackles Rubin Kazan today

NIGERIA’S Ahmed Musa is inching closer to his first Russian Premier League silverware as CSKA Moscow battle Rubin Kazan today.

The Nigerian international whose 10 goals in 23 matches ensured that the captial club lead the Russian topflight with 57 points, four points ahead of second-placed reigning champions Zenit St Petersburg, who will face hosts Kuban at Krasnodar today.

Intrestingly, Musa and pals have not lost a game since the league resumed after its winter break as CSKA Moscow are eyeing their first silverware since 2006.

Speaking ahead of the match, the former Kano Pillars ace told bobsoccer.ru that they are looking forward to build on their progress.

“On one hand, the advantage is quite comfortable. On the other hand, not very much because in the remaining rounds, there are 15 points to play for.

”I think we should not think about the standings. At least I’m doing just that. Most importantly, it is CSKA that are the leaders of the Russian Championship.

“There are tough matches ahead however. Be that as it may, we are committed only to win the championship. After a month, I hope it will be CSKA celebrating success,” the AFCON 2013 winner added.

Meanwhile, Dynamo Moscow, the only Russian top-flight club never to have experienced the indignity of relegation, jumped into third place following a 3-1 win over Saransk on Saturday.

Dynamo moved onto 43 points from 26 matches to stay four points behind third-placed Anzhi

Super Eagles and CSKA Moscow winger Ahmed Musa has told futaa.com he is not keen on leaving Russia at the moment.

In a chat with futaa.com in Calabar, Musa said he has been enjoying his stay on and off the pitch in Russia and would rather concentrate on winning laurels for his team rather than bother over a move to the English Premier or other supposedly higher rated Leagues in Europe.

“I am not thinking of leaving Russia, at least not for now. I have a good contract with CSKA and I am keen at winning laurels for myself and my team, not looking for new teams up and down, ” Musa exclusively told futaa.com.

Musa indeed has been enjoying a good season in Russia as his goals have been helpful to see CSKA Moscow keep a seven-point lead on the log

The Africa Nations Cup winner said he believes he and his teammates will help CSKA Moscow win the 16-team Russian League this season.

Super Eagles winger, Ahmed Musa is confident that the Stephen Keshi tutored squad will hold their own against Kenya’s Harambee Stars in Saturday’s 2014 world Cup qualifying match at the U.J. Esuene Stadium.

In this interview with SportingLife’s Uchenna Ajah and Tunde Liadi at the team’s Transcorp Hotel Calabar, the CSKA top scorer insists that the Eagles will dash the hopes of the Harambee Stars today. The former Kano Pillars ace also spoke on some salient issues. Excerpts…

Ahmed Musa how does it feel to be part of the Super Eagles squad again as Nigeria get set for the 2014 World Cup qualifying match against Kenya Harambee Stars?

I know it is going to be a tough game but I’m sure victory will be ours at the end of the day by the grace of God.

How has your training session been going?

It’s okay. I have really enjoyed all the training sessions we have had since my arrival.

Are you then assuring the fans that the Eagles will not let them down against the Harambee Stars?

Yes, I’m assuring them to come out in their thousands to see us play on Saturday because I’m confident we are not going to let them. Hopefully, we all are going to celebrate again after 90 minutes.

You sound so confident with your remarks. How many goals are we expecting at the end of the match?

For me I’m predicting 3-0 win in favour of Nigeria.

Musa, if you take an overall assessment of your career right from your days in the academy till now, you will notice that you are among the top goal scorers – Kano Pillars, VVV Venlo and now CSKA Moscow. What is the magic?

Nothing is the magic. It is just hard work and keeping focused on what you are doing.

You are still in the race for the top scorer award in the Russian Premier League. Are you making any promises at the close of the current campaign?

My promise is that I want to win the top scorer award in Russia at the end of the season. I’m already working on that.

Was the transition from being a winger to a points-man that easy?

Yeah, for me I think it is easy because I’m a forward and I can play anywhere upfront.

How have you been able to adjust to the cold weather in Russia having placed in hotter climates before now?

I’m used to cold. I was born in Jos, Plateau State and it used to be very cold while growing up. So, the cold is no hindrance for me.

Musa, what will you be telling some of your former teammates back home in Nigeria who are still nursing the ambition to be like you sometime in future?

Let them keep on giving themselves hope believing that they can do it even better than Ahmed Musa. They have to also give themselves confidence because when you boost your self confidence, you can do all you want to do.

Musa, there is this special way you run with the ball that opponents finds it difficult to cope with. Can you give us a little secret on how you perfected this art?

(Laughing) I don’t think anything about speed is a secret. It’s just the natural gift I have from God. There are no secrets about it I must confess.

Any final message to the fans?

They should come out and cheer us all through the match and in their prayers too. I’m confident that we are not going to disappoint them at the end of the final whistle.

Away from the Eagles, your former club, Kano Pillars is still pulling the strings in the Nigeria Professional Fooball League NPFL and the CAF Champions League. Are you surprised with their performance so far?

Yeah, I’m not surprised Kano Pillars are doing well today. It has always been the tradition and by God’s grace they will continue doing what they know best. Also I expect more from them in the CAF Champions League.

We wish you all the best; we hope that at the end of the season, you will celebrate in two fronts both for club and country. And it is also our pray that you are crowned the top goals scorer in the Russian Premier League too.

Thank you very much