Ahmed Musa became the first player from Nigeria to score a brace at the World Cup
Super Eagles forward Ahmed Musa has joined Africa’s leading top scorers in the history of the FIFA World Cup after netting a brace against Iceland in Nigeria’s 2-0 over Iceland at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod.
In the tournament’s record books, the duo of Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan with six goals and Cameroon’s Roger Milla, five goals, currently lead the pack in Africa.
At the last count, Gyan, scored the fastest goal of the tournament after 68 seconds and also Ghana's first ever goal in the FIFA World Cup at the 2010 World Cup in Germany against the Czech Republic In the 2010 edition in South Africa, the Black Star forward scored in the win over Serbia, as well as Ghana’s 1–1 draw against Australia.
The forward also recorded another goal against the United States in their second round clash, to take his strikes to six goals as Ghana cruised to a 2–1 win, thereby becoming the third African team in history to qualify for the tournament's quarter final, behind Cameroon and Senegal.
On the other hand, Milla at 38 emerged as one of the World Cup's major stars after netting four goals at Italia 1990.
Two of his strikes came against Romania in Cameroon's second fixture and two more goals against Colombia in the last 16 round to ensure Cameroon, progressed to the quarter-finals.
Milla was also in scoring form in the contest against England before the English side raced to a 3–2 in extra time.
During the 1994 World Cup in USA, Milla became the oldest player to score when he hit the bulls’ eye against Russia, setting a record as the oldest goalscorer in a World Cup tournament. Interestingly, Ahmed Musa is not far away from equaling the feat set by both Gyan and Milla at the top.
The Nigerian speed star, has four goals to him name after his earlier brace against Argentina in the last World Cup in Brazil.
The CSKA Moscow forward is expected to face the Albiceleste again when Nigeria square up against Argentina in Tuesday’s all-important Group D fixture at Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg.
