“Egypt pushed hard, but Nigeria’s composure in the shootout made the difference on the night.”
Nigeria secured the bronze medal at the Africa Cup of Nations after beating Egypt on penalties in the third-place playoff. The match ended 0–0 after 90 minutes, with both teams finding it hard to break each other down in a tense and tactical game.
Chances were limited, but Nigeria looked sharper in attack, while Egypt relied on counter-moves led by Mohamed Salah. Despite the efforts on both sides, neither team could score during normal time, and the match went straight to a penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Nigeria won 4–2. Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was the hero, saving two Egyptian penalties and lifting his side’s confidence. After an early miss, Nigeria stayed calm as Akor Adams, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi and Ademola Lookman all converted their kicks. Lookman scored the final penalty to seal the win.
The result gave the Super Eagles a strong finish to their AFCON campaign and showed their resilience after missing out on the final. It also added another medal to Nigeria’s rich history in African football.