The Super Eagles defeated Egypt’s Pharaohs 4-2 on penalties on Saturday to claim the bronze medal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after a tense third-place playoff at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca.
The encounter ended goalless after 90 minutes, forcing the contest into a shootout where goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali again proved decisive, saving spot-kicks from Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush to hand Nigeria their ninth AFCON third-place finish and maintain their perfect record in the fixture.
Interim coach named a rotated side, with Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman starting on the bench. Nwabali retained his place in goal behind a defence of Bright Osayi-Samuel, Igoh Ogbu, Semi Ajayi and Bruno Onyemaechi. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika anchored midfield, while captain Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze operated on the flanks behind Paul Onuachu and Akor Adams.
Nigeria began brightly and created the first opening in the 13th minute when Adams’ effort was deflected behind by an Egyptian defender. Both sides then settled into a cagey rhythm with defences on top.
Adams appeared to have given the Eagles the lead in the 36th minute with a powerful header, but the goal was cancelled after VAR review showed Onuachu had elbowed a defender in the build-up. The striker was booked for the offence.
The teams went into the break level, and Lookman replaced Onuachu at the start of the second half. The Atalanta forward had the ball in the net shortly after the restart, only for the strike to be ruled out for offside.
Alex Iwobi later came on for Osayi-Samuel as Nigeria searched for a breakthrough, but chances remained scarce and the match headed to penalties after regulation time ended in stalemate.
In the shootout, Dele-Bashiru missed Nigeria’s opening kick, but Nwabali saved Salah’s effort to keep the scores level. Adams converted before Marmoush was also denied by the Nigerian goalkeeper. Simon and Iwobi scored calmly, and after Mahmud Sabir reduced the deficit for Egypt, Lookman sealed victory with the decisive kick.
Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has expressed delight at winning the man of the match award following Nigeria’s penalty shootout victory over Egypt in the third-place playoff.
The Chippa United shot-stopper dedicated the award to Nigerian fans and his teammates after helping the Eagles secure a record-extending ninth AFCON bronze medal.
“First, I want to say big thanks to my nation and a lot of our fans that came out to support us today. I dedicate this man of the match to them. I feel so happy,” Nwabali said.
“Secondly, I really appreciate my teammates, these guys deserve the best. They have been working so hard, so I want to dedicate this man of the match to all of them.”
The 29-year-old proved decisive in the shootout, denying Egypt captain Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush to ensure Nigeria preserved their perfect record in AFCON third-place playoffs.
“I know this is not really the position we want in this tournament, but we’ll take it, it’s a team game, and I’m happy tonight,” he added.
Nwabali kept four clean sheets out of seven games at the tournament, conceding just four goals as Nigeria finished with 14 goals overall, their highest tally at any AFCON edition.
The victory marked Nigeria’s ninth consecutive win in AFCON third-place playoffs, having now won all nine they have contested.
Nigeria had reached the playoff after a heartbreaking semi-final loss to hosts Morocco on penalties, while Egypt fell 1-0 to Senegal in their last-four clash.
The Eagles topped Group C with victories over Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda before beating Mozambique and Algeria in the knockout rounds. Egypt, seven-time champions, progressed from Group B and eliminated Benin and Ivory Coast before their semi-final defeat.
Saturday’s triumph extended Nigeria’s remarkable dominance in AFCON bronze matches and offered consolation after their near miss in the race for the title.
Meanwhile, Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea has responded to criticism from Nigerian players and fans following his officiating during Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-final defeat to Morocco on Wednesday night in Rabat.
The Super Eagles were knocked out of the tournament after losing 4-2 on penalties to the host nation, following a goalless draw after regulation time and extra time at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved spot-kicks from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi to seal victory.
Laryea’s performance sparked widespread backlash from Nigerian supporters and members of the team, with several decisions during the match questioned.
The referee addressed the backlash during a chance encounter with Sporty TV pundit Klinton Cod in Rabat.
Cod said to the referee, “The game was crazy, and you know my fellow Nigerians are not happy with you.”
Responding directly to the comment, Laryea played down the reaction and said, “No, it’s okay. It’s football.”
Nigeria full back Bright Osayi-Samuel was among those to openly express dissatisfaction with the officiating, describing it as poor while insisting it was not the sole reason for the defeat.
He said the loss was painful despite what he felt was a strong performance from the team, adding that several decisions affected the flow of the game.
“One thing I would say is that the referee was appalling, not saying that that’s the reason why we lost, but he was making very wrong decisions, and it’s really painful to see referees like that in a big game like today,” Osayi-Samuel said.
The criticism intensified on social media, where fans pointed to perceived inconsistencies in discipline. Nigeria were penalised for 29 fouls compared to Morocco’s 19, yet received two yellow cards while the hosts were not cautioned at any point.
Several commentators and media personalities questioned the neutrality of the officiating and the overall standard of refereeing at the tournament, while reports also suggested that Nigerian fans mass-reported Laryea’s Instagram account, leading to its suspension.
Some fans also criticised the Confederation of African Football for appointing a Ghanaian official for the fixture, citing the long-standing rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana.
Nigeria’s defeat brought an end to their hopes of claiming a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title. The Super Eagles settled for a bronze medal after winning the third-place playoff match against Egypt on Saturday.
Leave a Comment