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The Super Eagles and new manager Jose Peseiro are back home in Nigeria to begin final preparations for the start of their journey to the Ivory Coast in 2023.
The Super Eagles are back home in Nigeria to begin final preparations for the start of their journey to the Ivory Coast in 2023.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have returned from their tour of the United States of America to put finishing touches to their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers plans.
As part of efforts aimed to help new manager Jose Peseiro get acquainted with his new players, the Eagles played two international friendly games against Mexico and Ecuador in the US.
Both matches, however, didn’t go as expected despite improved performances from the lads in what were the first games under Peseiro.
Nigeria lost both games narrowly, the first was a 2-1 defeat to El Try at the AT & T stadium and the 1-0 loss in the second game against Ecuador in Dallas in the second encounter.
Now, the Eagles are back home in Nigeria to prepare for the big ones - a double-header against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe in the AFCONQ2023.
Here are three things to catch up on
Peseiro intensifies training with the first training session
Super Eagles boss Peseiro and his boys have already started training ahead of the first game slated for this Thursday at the Moshood Abiola Stadium on Sunday.
Peseiro will be looking to ensure the Eagles avoid a repeat of what happened during their last visit to the nation’s capital.
Also, the 62-year-old will be working tirelessly with his players to ensure that Nigeria puts an end to the poor run of five matches without a win. The Super Eagles have lost three and drawn two of their last five matches in all competitions.
24 players spotted in the first training session
There were a total of 24 players who took part in the first Super Eagles training session under Peseiro at home. Led by skipper, Ahmen Musa, who missed the tour of the US. Other notable players who missed the tour but took part in the session were, Victor Osimhen, Leon Balogun, Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar and Oghenekaro Etebo amongst others.
Three players missing in action
Of the 27 players invited by the new boss Peseiro in his updated list, three players missed the first training session in Abuja. The trio are US tour MVP, Calvin Bassey, Shehu Abdullahi and Joe Aribo.
Peseiro meets stars who missed the tour of the US
During breakfast and lunch periods, Peseiro was able to meet and familiarize himself with invited players who were unable to make it to the United States for the friendlies, including the captain, Musa, defenders (Zaidu) Sanusi and Balogun, midfielder Etebo and the forwards Chukwueze, Umar and (Ademola) Lookman.
He also met with defender Omeruo, midfielder Onyeka and forward Osimhen, as well as Israel –based goal-tender Adeleye, who were not invited to the friendlies in America but have been called for the AFCON fray.
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