Photo Credit: CAFOnline/Instagram
Nigeria signed off their AFCON 2025 campaign on a high, edging Egypt on penalties to claim the bronze medal after a tense, goalless third-place playoff in Casablanca.
After 90 tight minutes at the Stade Mohammed V, the match went straight to penalties, where Stanley Nwabali took centre stage. The Nigeria goalkeeper saved spot-kicks from Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, swinging the shootout decisively in his team’s favour. Calm finishes from Akor Adams, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi and Ademola Lookman sealed a 4–2 win, giving Nigeria their ninth third-place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations and maintaining their perfect record in bronze medal matches.
The game itself was short on clear chances but rich in tension. Egypt came closest in the first half when Salah slipped Mahmoud Trezeguet through on goal, only for Nwabali to rush off his line and shut the door. Salah later tested the keeper twice in quick succession, but Nigeria held firm. At the other end, Akor Adams thought he had opened the scoring just before the break, heading home from close range, but VAR ruled the goal out for a foul in the build-up.
Nigeria continued to press after the restart and had another effort chalked off when Lookman finished clinically, only to be flagged offside. With both defences standing tall and neither side willing to overcommit, penalties felt inevitable, and once there, Nigeria showed the greater composure.
Speaking after the match, Nwabali summed up the night from the goalposts: “It was a very difficult match against a great Egyptian team. Both sides were solid and no one wanted to make a mistake.” On the shootout, he added, “During the penalty shootout, I stayed calm. I tried to read the takers and trust my instinct. Thankfully, it worked for us.”
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan reflected on a contest decided by fine margins. “It was a very evenly matched game against a strong Nigerian team,” he said. “In matches like these, things are decided by details. Today, the outcome was determined by penalty kicks.” He also praised his players, noting, “The players showed great character and strong discipline… Penalty shootouts are part of football. Sometimes they go in your favor and sometimes they don’t.”
For Nigeria’s coach Eric Chelle, the bronze medal carried deeper meaning beyond the result. “I am very proud to be the coach of the Nigerian national team,” he said. “This team gave everything—not only in this match, but over the past two months and throughout a full year of continuous work.” Looking ahead, Chelle was clear about what comes next: “This match is not just a one-night story; it is part of a longer journey that concerns the future of this team.”
