Stanley Nwabali of Nigeria celebrates victory with teammates during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations AFCON 3rd place playoff match between Egypt and Nigeria at the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco on 17 January 2026 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Saturday Jan 17, 2026. 20:55
Nigeria continued its impressive streak in the Africa Cup of Nations third place play-off, overcoming Egypt 4-2 on penalties after a goalless draw at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca on Saturday.
The Super Eagles claimed their eight AFCON bronze medal, having now won all eight of their appearances in the bronze medal match.
Mohamed Salah and the Pharaohs will head home with nothing to show for their efforts, despite a strong showing at the tournament.
Nigeria were short staffed, missing five key players from the nation’s starting 11. Calvin Bassey was serving a suspension, while captain Wilfred Ndidi and talisman Victor Osimhen did not feature. Fulham’s Alex Iwobi and Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman came off the bench to boost the Nigerian attack in the second half to no avail.
Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush was left out of the Pharaohs’ starting line-up, coming on at the beginning of the second period.
Trézéguet created the first chance of the game for Egypt in the second minute, putting a cross into a dangerous area, but the outstretched Stanley Nwabali intercepted the ball before it could reach its intended target.
Salah sent a well-weighted ball forward for Trézéguet in the 17th minute, forcing Nwabali to rush off his line
Salah continued to facilitate Egypt’s offence, playing Zizo into the Nigerian box in the 24th minute. Zizo attempted to cut the ball back for Trézéguet at the byline, but his pass was sent behind for a corner by the Nigerian defence.
Salah could have bagged a goal of his own in the 27th minute. Mohamed Hany’s cross looking for the Liverpool winger at the near post was bobbled by Nwabali to give Salah another chance to poke the ball home but was blocked by Semi Ajayi.
Nigeria were denied the opening goal in the 39th minute after a quick VAR check, which found Paul Onuachu to have elbowed his defender, albeit unintentionally, before Akor Adams’ header glanced off of his strike partner and into the back of the net.
Nigeria had a second goal disallowed in the first minute of the second half as Adams did not time his run correctly to receive Samuel Chukwueze’s ball. Thus, substitute Ademola Lookman’s second-chance strike was discounted.
In the 50th minute, Raphael Onyedika’s long range effort took a bounce, but could not get past Shobeir.
Bright Osayi-Samuel did well to track back and deny Egypt the ball at the Nigerian byline in the 62nd minute. However, it came at a cost as he was forced off the field due to injury, replaced by Akex Iwobi.
Nigeria were denied a penalty in the 79th minute as Adams was shoved off the ball by Hamdy Fathy in the Pharaohs box. On the other end, substitute Omar Marmoush could not capitalise on Salah’s through ball in the 80th minute as Ajayi used his physicality to take the Manchester City attacker off the ball.
Egypt were handed a last shot at goal from a freekick in the 88th minute but Salah’s attempt was fired straight into the wall.
Goalless after regulation time, the fixture became the third bronze medal match 33 in AFCON history to end goalless. The game progressed straight to a penalty shootout without extra-time.
Nwabali’s heroics propelled the Super Eagles into the driving seat, as he denied two Egyptian attempts. Lookman calmly slotted Nigeria’s fifth and final penalty hand the Super Eagles an eighth bronze medal at the tournament.
The final will be played on Sunday between Morocco and Senegal at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, as the hosts aim to lift the title for the first time since 1976.
By Nic Gleeson
Egypt 0 (2)
Nigeria 0 (4)
Egypt: O. Shobeir, M. Hany, R. Rabia, H. Fathy, K. Sobhi, M. Lasheen, Zizo (O. Marmoush 61’), M. Salah, E. Ashour, Trézéguet (M. Saber 61’), M. Mohamed (I. Adel 71’)
Nigeria: S. Nwabali, B. Onyemaechi, I. Ogbu, S. Ajayi (C. Awaziem 90+3’), B. Osayi-Samuel (A. Iwobi 65’), F. Dele-Bashiru, R. Onyedika, S. Chukwueze (C. Ejuke 90+1’), M. Simon, P. Onuachu (A. Lookman 46’), A. Adams