Nigeria Beat Egypt 4 – 2 on Shoot-out to Clinch Bronze at AFCON Morocco 2025

The Super Eagles of Nigeria maintained their perfect record in Africa Cup of Nations third-place play-offs on 17 Jan 2026, at Stade Mohammed V stadium, Casablanca city, Morocco, beating Egypt 4 – 2 on penalties to claim bronze at the AFCON 2025 tournament.

After a goalless draw in regulation time in Casablanca, the match went straight to a shootout, with the Super Eagles prevailing 4-2.

After 120 minutes of gripping scoreless action that showcased defensive resilience from both sides, the contest was settled from the spot; a familiar scenario for these continental heavyweights.

Stanley Nwabali emerged as the decisive hero for Nigeria. The Chippa United goalkeeper produced two crucial saves in the shoot-out, denying Egypt’s talisman Mohamed Salah and forward Omar Marmoush, to swing the outcome firmly in the Super Eagles’ favour.  Nwabali’s commanding display under pressure earned him the TotalEnergies CAF Man of the Match award, underlining his pivotal role throughout the tournament.

The penalty sequence saw Nigeria recover from an early miss by Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. Akor Adams, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi and Ademola Lookman converted their kicks with composure.

Nigeria’s victory extends their impeccable record in AFCON third-place matches to a perfect nine wins from nine, cementing their status as the undisputed “kings of bronze”. The Super Eagles have now finished in the top three a record 17 times in the competition’s history.

The campaign in Morocco proved strong for Eric Chelle’s side. Nigeria topped Group C with commanding performances, scored a tournament-high 14 goals across their opening fixtures, and advanced through knockout wins over Mozambique and Algeria before a heartbreaking semi-final penalty defeat to hosts Morocco.

The result provides Nigeria with a fitting podium finish to a tournament that reaffirmed their consistency among Africa’s elite. As the focus shifts to Sunday’s final between Senegal and Morocco, the Super Eagles depart Casablanca with pride intact and another bronze medal in the cabinet.