Nigeria’s Super Eagles secured a morale-boosting third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday night after defeating Egypt 4–2 on penalties in a tense playoff encounter at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca.
The highly anticipated clash between two of Africa’s most decorated football nations ended goalless after regulation time, with neither side able to find a breakthrough despite periods of pressure and tactical adjustments. The deadlock forced the contest into a penalty shootout, where Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, once again emerged as the hero, producing two decisive saves to hand the Super Eagles the bronze medal.
Nwabali denied spot-kicks from Egypt’s captain Mohamed Salah and forward Oumar Marmoush, sealing Nigeria’s ninth third-place finish in Africa Cup of Nations history and preserving their perfect record in playoff matches for the bronze medal. The victory provided consolation for the Super Eagles after their narrow semi-final exit and reaffirmed their reputation for resilience on the continental stage.
Nigeria’s interim head coach opted for a rotated starting line-up, resting several key players who had featured prominently earlier in the tournament. Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman were named among the substitutes, while Paul Onuachu and Akor Adams led the attack. Moses Simon captained the side, supported on the wings by Samuel Chukwueze.
In midfield, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru partnered Raphael Onyedika, offering energy and balance, while the backline comprised Bright Osayi-Samuel, Igoh Ogbu, Semi Ajayi and Bruno Onyemaechi, shielding Nwabali in goal.
The Super Eagles started the match with confidence and intent, pressing high and seeking to impose themselves early. Their first real opportunity arrived in the 13th minute when Akor Adams broke into the penalty area and fired a goal-bound effort that was deflected behind for a corner by an alert Egyptian defender.
Egypt, seven-time AFCON champions, gradually settled into the game and matched Nigeria’s intensity, resulting in a tightly contested midfield battle. Both defences remained disciplined, limiting clear-cut chances as the match developed into a cautious affair.
Nigeria thought they had taken the lead in the 36th minute when Adams powered a header into the net from close range. However, celebrations were cut short after a VAR review revealed that Paul Onuachu had fouled an Egyptian defender with an elbow in the build-up. The goal was ruled out, and Onuachu was shown a yellow card, leaving the scoreline unchanged.
The first half ended without goals, reflecting the evenly matched nature of the contest. At the start of the second half, Nigeria introduced Ademola Lookman in place of Onuachu in a bid to inject more pace and creativity into the attack.
The substitution nearly paid immediate dividends, as Lookman found the back of the net shortly after the restart. However, his effort was disallowed for offside, compounding Nigeria’s frustration and underlining the fine margins that defined the encounter.
As the game wore on, both sides made further tactical changes, but opportunities remained limited. Alex Iwobi was introduced for Osayi-Samuel as Nigeria searched for a breakthrough, while Egypt sought inspiration through their experienced attacking players, including Salah.
Despite moments of promise, neither team was able to break the stalemate during regulation time, and the referee signalled the end of the match after 90 minutes with the score still locked at 0–0, sending the contest to penalties.
The shootout began with drama as Dele-Bashiru missed Nigeria’s opening kick, giving Egypt an early psychological edge. However, Nwabali quickly swung momentum back in Nigeria’s favour by saving Salah’s penalty, a crucial intervention that lifted the Super Eagles.
Akor Adams then calmly converted Nigeria’s second kick before Nwabali struck again, diving to deny Marmoush and place Nigeria firmly in control. Moses Simon and Alex Iwobi both dispatched their penalties with composure, while Egypt’s Mahmud Sabir kept the Pharaohs alive by scoring his effort.
The decisive moment came when Ademola Lookman stepped up to take Nigeria’s final kick. The forward showed remarkable composure under pressure, sending the Egyptian goalkeeper the wrong way and sealing a 4–2 shootout victory for the Super Eagles.
Nigeria’s path to the third-place playoff had been marked by strong performances and moments of heartbreak. The Super Eagles topped Group C with maximum points, recording victories over Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda. They continued their impressive run in the knockout stages, eliminating Mozambique and Algeria before suffering a painful semi-final defeat to tournament hosts Morocco on penalties.
Egypt, meanwhile, advanced from Group B and overcame Benin and Ivory Coast in the knockout rounds. Their tournament ended in disappointment after a narrow 1–0 semi-final loss to Senegal, setting up the playoff clash with Nigeria.
Saturday’s victory provided Nigeria with a measure of redemption after missing out on a place in the final and reinforced their long-standing dominance in AFCON third-place matches. The result also highlighted the depth and character within the squad, particularly the contribution of players called upon in a rotated line-up.
For goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, the match further cemented his status as one of the tournament’s standout performers. His calm presence and penalty-saving heroics proved decisive once again, underscoring his importance to the national team.
While the Super Eagles fell short of lifting the AFCON trophy, the bronze-medal finish offered encouragement and optimism ahead of future competitions. It also reaffirmed Nigeria’s standing as one of Africa’s football powerhouses, capable of rising to the occasion even in the face of adversity.
As celebrations followed in Casablanca, Nigeria closed their AFCON 2025 campaign with pride, resilience and a reminder of their enduring pedigree on the continental stage.
