Guinea-Bissau have momentarily shot to the top spot in Group A of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers after they secured a 1-0 win over Sao Tome and Principe on Wednesday.
The Super Eagles will Thursday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos step up their preparations for Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone.
Coach Jose Peseiro already have the full complement of the 23 players he invited for the matchday five fixture in which the Eagles will be looking to get back on top of their qualifying group.
Bright Osayi, the last arrival in camp from his base in Turkey, was part of Wednesday's training session. All 23 players intensified the preparations for Sunday's game billed for Monrovia.
Standing
Guinea-Bissau have momentarily shot to the top spot in Group A of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers after they secured a 1-0 win over Sao Tome and Principe on Wednesday.
The 55th-minute goal scored by Belgium-based forward Zinho Gano meant the Wild Dogs now have 10 points from five games, while Nigeria's Super Eagles are on nine points, albeit with one game less.
Looking ahead to Sunday's game, coach Peseiro told reporters in Lagos he is positive the Eagles can win in Monrovia even though he admitted the Leone Stars could be a stubborn team to play against.
He said: "We can beat Sierra Leone if we play with 11 together. Sometimes it is not easy at the end of the season when these players come with different contexts and situations in their health."
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A win for Nigeria over Sierra Leone at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Paynesville, Monrovia on Sunday will return the Super Eagles to the top of the table.
The 22,000-capacity arena will witness fireworks from 5 pm Nigeria time (4 pm Liberia time) as the Super Eagles seek to reach the finals of the 34th Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled for Cote d'Ivoire early next year, with a game to spare.
Recent Meetings
Recent games against neighbours Seira Leone have always been keenly contested.
In the last weeks of 2020, the Leone Stars famously came from 4-1 down to draw 4-4 with the Super Eagles at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City in another Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match (Cameroon 2021), and a few days later, held the Eagles to a barren draw at the Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown.
When both teams clashed on Day 1 of the ongoing series at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja a year ago, the Leone Stars drew the first blood before goals by Alex Iwobi and Victor Osimhen sealed victory for Nigeria
Match officials
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football has appointed Sudanese official Mahmood Ali Ismail as the referee for Sunday's encounter, with his compatriot Mohammed Abdallah Ibrahim as assistant referee 1. Liban Abdourazak Ahmed from Djibouti will serve as assistant referee 2, with Mohamed Diraneh Guedi, also from Djibouti, in the role of fourth official.
Gambian Bakary Jammeh will be the commissioner while Kokou Djaoupe from Togo will serve as referee assessor.
