The Super Eagles of Nigeria clinched bronze at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, defeating Egypt 4-2 on penalties in a tense third-place play-off at the Stade Mohammed V on Saturday.
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.
Nwabali the hero in shoot-out
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, while Egypt’s efforts faltered despite a late reply from Ramy Rabia.
Perfect record in third-place matches
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.
Egypt fall short again
For Egypt, the Pharaohs’ journey ended in familiar frustration. After eliminating defending champions Ivory Coast and reaching the last four, they fell narrowly to Senegal in the semi-finals. Saturday’s shoot-out defeat marked another chapter in their long history of fine margins at the continental showpiece, leaving them without a medal this time.
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.
