. As Osimhen, Uzoho expected
… Peseiro, assistants drill team
By Rasaq Oboirien
The Super Eagles pre-AFCON 2023 camp came alive on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates with the arrival of players.
Portuguese gaffer, Jose Peseiro and his coaching crew, welcomed nineteen Super Eagles stars to the training camp, to commence preparations for the 34th Africa Cup of Nations edition billed to kick off on January 13 in Abidjan.
Team captain Ahmed Musa was among the first to report to camp, and was joined by fellow 2013 AFCON winner Kenneth Omeruo, Nantes winger Moses Simon, and goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo of Nigeria Premier Football League defending champion, Enyimba.
Fulham’s duo of Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey, as well as West Brom’s Semi Ajayi, Southampton midfielder, Joe Aribo, Brentford’s Frank Onyeka, and Nottingham Forest defender, Ola Aina all landed from their base in England.
Portugal-based defenders, Chidozie Awaziem, Bruno Onyemaechi of Boavista, and Porto’s Zaidu Sanusi are also in the camp, as well as Atalanta star forward, Ademola Lookman, Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface, Club Brugge’s Raphael and Fenerbahce’s Bright Osayi-Samuel.
While William Troost-Ekong, Umar Sadiq, Samuel Chukwueze and goalkeepers Stanley Nwabili all joined the team before the evening drills.
The Super Eagles had their first training session on Wednesday evening as they countdown to their one-week training tour that will see them battle Burkina Faso and DR Congo in a mini-tournament.
Meanwhile, Wilfred Ndidi has been ruled out of the team after suffering an injury with Leicester City, and has been replaced with Royal Antwerp’s Alhassan Yusuf.
However, still expected in camp are newly crowned African Player of the Year and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, Leicester City forward, Kelechi Iheanacho, and goalkeeper Francis Uzoho.