Nigeria secured the bronze medal at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after edging Egypt 4–2 on penalties in Casablanca, with goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali emerging as the decisive figure.
The third-place match at the Stade Mohammed V ended without goals after regulation time, following a tense and largely cautious contest between two African heavyweights.
With neither side able to break the deadlock, the encounter was decided from the spot.
Nwabali, who plays for South Africa’s Chippa United, produced two crucial saves during the shootout, denying Egypt’s leading attackers Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush.
His interventions paved the way for Nigeria to convert four of their penalties and finally seal victory after recent shootout heartbreaks.
The result marked a morale-boosting turnaround for the Super Eagles, who had suffered penalty defeats in a World Cup qualification play-off late last year and again in the AFCON semi-final against hosts Morocco earlier in the week.
During the shootout, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missed Nigeria’s opening kick, but Akor Adams, Moses Simon and Alex Iwobi kept their nerve to ensure success.
For Egypt, Ramy Rabia and Mahmoud Saber scored, but Nwabali’s saves proved decisive.
The win handed Nigeria their ninth bronze medal in AFCON history and preserved their flawless record in third-place matches at the tournament.
It also earned Nwabali the official Man of the Match award.
The game itself was punctuated by controversy. Paul Onuachu had a first-half goal ruled out after a VAR review for an elbow in the build-up, while Ademola Lookman also saw a second-half effort disallowed for offside.
Despite spells of pressure from both sides, clear chances were limited.
Egypt, who made several changes from their semi-final loss to Senegal, struggled to impose themselves in attack, with Salah largely contained.
Nigeria, backed by much of the Moroccan crowd due to regional rivalry with Egypt, showed greater composure when it mattered most.
For the Super Eagles, the bronze medal provided a fitting end to a turbulent campaign and a measure of redemption after recent disappointments on the continental and global stage.
