Cape Verde Vs Nigeria: Ahmed Musa Set For Super Eagles 100 International Cap
By Amaechi Agbo
Super Eagle captain, Ahmed Musa will make history on Tuesday when he features for the team against Cape Verde in the 2022 World Cup qualifier as he would be making his 100th international appreance for the team, www.bewtchoicesports.com.ng can report.
The 28-year old attacker will join his erstwhile predecessors, Joseph Yobo and Vincent Enyeama in the Super Eagles centenary club
The winger earned his 99th cap last Friday against Liberia after coming on as a second half substitute for Iheanacho, and would be the third Nigerian to reach the 100 cap landmark after former captains Vincent Enyeama and Joseph Yobo.
The former Kano Pillars and Leicester City of England players made his international debut for Nigeria in 2010 as a local player with the four-time Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL Champions, Kano Pillars.
In April 2010 under former Coach Lars Lagerbäck, Musa was called up to join the Nigeria national football team camp prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa after helping the Nigerian team win in the 2010 WAFU Nations Cup where he scored a goal against Benin. In the same tournament against Burkina Faso, Musa’s goal deep into extra-time shot Nigeria into the finals of the tournament in Abeokuta.[41] He was however forced out of the Super Eagles’ 30-man World Cup roster due to an ankle injury.
However, on 5 August 2010, at the age of 17, Musa made his debut for the Nigeria senior team (Super Eagles) in a qualification match for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations against Madagascar, where he came on as a substitute for Mikel John Obi in a 2–0 win. He scored his first goal for the Super Eagles in a March 2011 friendly against Kenya.
Following his electrifying performances at a tender age, he was called up to Nigeria’s 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He scored in a 4–1 semi-final defeat of Mali and appeared as a substitute against Burkina Faso in the final, as the Super Eagles won their third continental title.
Overall, he appeared in five of the team’s six matches. At the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, he started in all three of the team’s matches as they were eliminated in the group stage.
After appearing in all of Nigeria’s qualifying matches, Musa was named in Stephen Keshi’s squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored two goals in the team’s final Group F match, a 3–2 defeat to Argentina.
In October 2015, following the retirement of Vincent Enyeama from international football, Nigerian coach, Sunday Oliseh named Musa as the captain of the team. This decision was however reversed in 2016 as Mikel John Obi was named captain of the Nigerian squad and Musa was moved to Vice Captain.
In May 2018 he was named in Nigeria’s preliminary 30-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Though his performance against Iceland was superb, it was not even enough to keep the West Africans in the tournament as they were eliminated by Argentina.
On 22 June 2018, Musa scored twice in a 2–0 victory over Iceland in their second group match of the World Cup. In June 2019 he became the third most capped player for Nigeria’s national team, surpassing Nwankwo Kanu, after appearing in a friendly against Zimbabwe.
He was named in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations team by head coach Gernot Rohr.
Musa became the first Nigerian to score more than once in a FIFA World Cup match, after scoring twice against Argentina in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The former CSKA MOSCOW of Russia is also the first Nigerian to score in two FIFA World Cup competitions, after scoring twice against Iceland in the group stage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Musa was a member of the Al Nassr squad that won the Saudi Premier League and Saudi Super Cup, both in 2019.
Ahmed Musa currently have 99ncaps for the Super Eagles since his first match 11 years ago and have found the net a record 15 times.
If featured against Cape Verde Ahmed Musa will earn his 100 caps for Nigeria but he will be behind Vincent Enyeama and Joseph Yobo who are tied on 101 international appearance for the Super Eagles.
Should he be inducted into the Super Eagles centenary club on Tuesday, it will be obvious that he would overtake his former bosses, as the most capped Nigeria player at the age of 29 years.
He will clock 29 years on October 14, 2021.