YAKUBU has revealed his renewed confidence after Everton’s late bout of business in the transfer window – and is setting his sights on ending their 14-year wait for a trophy.

Manager David Moyes managed to strengthen his squad with five new players in the final week before the transfer deadline expired and three of them played 90 minutes in World Cup qualifiers for their countries at the weekend.

Joleon Lescott and Tim Howard were also in international action, while Yakubu captained his country for the first time.

He led Nigeria to a 1-0 win over South Africa, their fifth successive win in their qualifying group assuring that the 2010 World Cup hosts have missed out on the African Cup of Nations in the same year.

While honoured to be given the skipper’s armband after Goodison team-mate Joseph Yobo withdrew with an ankle injury, the striker is determined to fulfil his main ambition of scoring the goals to help Everton secure a first piece of silverware since 1995.

“I have an ambition to win a trophy with the club this season,” said Yakubu, who netted in each of Everton’s first two Premier League games this season before David James’s penalty save halted his goal-a-game record against Portsmouth last week.

“I’m very pleased that Everton has bought some new players to boost up our squad, it will make us stronger to achieve that aim.

“I want to score more, that’s my target. It is a great honour to captain your country, I feel it is recognition for my service over the years.

“Obviously there is added responsibility but I can’t let it take away from my job and that is to score goals for club and country.”

It was Ike Uche who hit Nigeria’s winner in the 70th minute.

Former Everton striker Daniel Amokachi, now assistant coach with Nigeria, praised Yakubu for his contribution.

Amokachi said: “He has been great with the players and he certainly commands respect within the group. He is a calm individual, but he has an air about him that the others really like.”

The niggling injury that kept Yobo out had also troubled him in the first set of qualifying matches in June and it is hoped the rest he has given it during the international fortnight will see him recover in time to take on Stoke City on Sunday.

Lescott, meanwhile, won his sixth cap for England against Andorra on Saturday and set up the first of Joe Cole’s two goals in the 2-0 win in Barcelona.

Howard was relieved to come through with a clean sheet as he helped the United States to a 1-0 win over Cuba in Havana.

“The pitch wasn’t the best, and we had some problems with the heat,” he said after Clint Dempsey’s 40th-minute strike pushed the Americans to the top of Group One.

“This is the third straight qualifying win on the road for us and that will do wonders to building up our confidence.”

In terms of Everton’s new players, Moyes will have been encouraged to see them come through their games unscathed.

Record signing Marouane Fellaini helped Belgium open their campaign with a 3-2 win over Estonia, while Lars Jacobsen featured for Denmark in their goalless draw with Hungary.

Segundo Castillo was also in action for Ecuador as they beat Bolivia 3-1 to get their South American qualifying campaign back on track.