The Super Eagles' preparations for Thursday's 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone's Leone Stars resumed on Sunday, with 24 of the 27 invited players training in Abuja.
The preparations for the Eagles' 20th appearance at Africa's showpiece championship, set for Ivory Coast in 2023, began with friendly matches against Mexico (in Dallas on May 28) and Ecuador (in New Jersey on June 2).
Captain Ahmed Musa led a team that comprised goalkeepers Francis Uzoho, Adewale Adeyinka, and Adebayo Adeleye, as well as defenders Olaoluwa Aina, William Ekong, Zaidu Sanusi, Chidozie Awaziem, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, Leon Balogun, Sani Faisal, and Kenneth Omeruo.
There were also strikers Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Victor Osimhen, Cyriel Dessers, Ademola Lookman, Sadiq Umar, Terem Moffi, and Emmanuel Dennis, as well as midfielders Alex Iwobi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Innocent Bonke, and Frank Onyeka.
Only defenders Abdullahi Shehu and Calvin Bassey, as well as midfielder Joe Aribo, were expected in camp as of Sunday lunchtime.
At the end of the day, Peseiro was allowed to meet and familiarize himself with invited players who were unable to travel to the United States for the friendly, including Musa, defenders Sanusi and Balogun, midfielder Etebo, and strikers Chukwueze, Umar, and Lookman, over breakfast and lunch hours.
He also spoke with defender Omeruo, midfielder Onyeka, forward Osimhen, and Israel-based goalkeeper Adeleye, all of whom were not invited to the friendly in America but were called up for the AFCON competition.
On Thursday evening, the Eagles face familiar adversaries, Sierra Leone, at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in one of the Group A qualification series' Day 1 matchups. They head to Marrakech on Saturday for a Day 2 encounter against So Tomé and Prncipe on June 13.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football has picked Ivoirian officials to oversee Thursday's match in Abuja, with Ibrahim Kalilou Traore serving as referee. His countrymen Adou Desire N'goh, Nouhou Ouattara, and Kouassi Francois Biro will serve as assistant referees 1, 2, and 4 accordingly.