Nigeria’s Super Eagles secured third place at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after defeating Egypt 4-2 on penalties following a goalless draw at the end of regulation time in Casablanca, Morocco, on Saturday night. Substitute Ademola Lookman scored the winning penalty to hand Nigeria the bronze medal and end their campaign on a positive note.
The third-place match came after both teams suffered disappointing defeats in the semi-finals. Nigeria lost narrowly to hosts Morocco on penalties, while Egypt were convincingly beaten by defending champions Senegal. As a result, both sides were eager to restore pride and finish the tournament strongly.
The match started with more energy and purpose than their semi-final outings. Egypt showed early intent, pressing high and moving the ball quickly. Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was called into action within the opening minutes when Trézéguet attempted to find Mohamed Salah with an early pass. Nwabali read the danger well and gathered the ball comfortably.
Egypt’s approach was a clear improvement from their poor showing against Senegal, where they struggled to create chances. Their pressing was organised, and they tried to force mistakes from a Nigerian defence missing suspended centre-back Calvin Bassey. At times, the Super Eagles looked unsettled as Egypt pushed forward.
Nigeria gradually grew into the game. Akor Adams had an early effort deflected, while Salah turned provider for Trézéguet, forcing Nwabali to rush off his line to clear the danger. Despite the pressure, Nigeria began to settle, helped by the crowd in Casablanca. Many Moroccan fans, still unhappy with Egypt following past encounters, openly supported Nigeria, cheering the Super Eagles and whistling Egyptian possession.
The Super Eagles thought they had taken the lead in the 36th minute. Samuel Chukwueze delivered a cross back into the box after Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir parried the ball, and Adams rose to head home. However, the goal was ruled out after a lengthy VAR check. Officials judged that Paul Onuachu had elbowed Hamdy Fathy in the build-up. Replays suggested the contact was minimal and possibly accidental, but the decision stood, much to Nigeria’s frustration.
The disallowed goal did not dampen Nigeria’s spirit. Both teams continued to attack, creating a more open and entertaining contest than expected. However, neither side managed to find a breakthrough before half-time.
Nigeria made a key change at the break, bringing on Ademola Lookman for Onuachu. The substitution had an immediate impact. Lookman found the back of the net within minutes of the restart, but once again Nigeria were denied, as the goal was ruled offside.
The Super Eagles continued to push forward. Shobeir was forced into action to save long-range efforts from Raphael Onyedika and Moses Simon. Adams also came close, but the Al Ahly goalkeeper rushed off his line to block the chance.
Egypt began to rely more on counterattacks as Nigeria took control of possession. In response to Lookman’s growing influence, Egypt introduced Omar Marmoush, one of their standout players in the tournament. Marmoush’s pace caused problems, and in one run, he forced Bright Osayi-Samuel into a chase that appeared to result in a hamstring injury for the Nigerian right-back.
As the match wore on, tension increased. Both teams appealed for penalties, but the referee waved away the claims. Adams went down in the Egyptian box, while at the other end, Semi Ajayi appeared to clip Marmoush, but neither incident resulted in a spot kick.
Late chances fell to both sides. Lookman failed to find a teammate after Alex Iwobi opened up the Egyptian defence, while Nigeria defender Igoh Ogbhu committed a foul as Egypt tried to break. With no goals after 90 minutes, the match went to penalties.
The shootout began poorly for Nigeria when Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s opening penalty was saved by Shobeir. Memories of Nigeria’s semi-final shootout loss to Morocco resurfaced. However, the Super Eagles quickly regained composure.
Stanley Nwabali emerged as the hero. He saved Egypt’s first two penalties, denying both Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. Salah’s miss was particularly costly, as the Liverpool star sent his effort wide, putting Egypt under immediate pressure.
Akor Adams, Moses Simon and Alex Iwobi all converted their penalties for Nigeria. Egypt managed to score through Ramy Rabia and Mahmoud Saber, but Nwabali’s saves proved decisive.
With Nigeria leading 3-2, Ademola Lookman stepped up to take the final kick. The former African Footballer of the Year remained calm and sent Shobeir the wrong way to secure a 4-2 victory for the Super Eagles.
The win marked Nigeria’s ninth third-place finish in AFCON history, extending their record as the most successful team in third-place matches. It was also a fitting end to a campaign that showed promise and resilience, despite falling short of reaching the final.
For Egypt, the defeat highlighted a tournament of mixed fortunes. While they improved in the third-place match, missed penalties and inconsistency proved costly. The absence of goals throughout the match also underlined their struggles in attack.
Nigeria will take pride in finishing strong, especially after the disappointment of the semi-final loss. The performance of younger players, the return to form of key stars, and the composure shown in the shootout all offer positives for the future.
As the AFCON tournament draws to a close, the Super Eagles can look ahead with optimism, knowing they ended their journey on a winning note and once again showed their strength on the African stage.
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