Nigeria edge Egypt on penalties to claim third place at AFCON after drab draw

Nigeria maintained their flawless AFCON third-place playoff record, edging Egypt 4-2 on penalties following a dull goalless draw at Casablanca’s Stade Mohammed V. Lacking any real motivation, both teams struggled to create chances in an uninspiring contest. Nigeria seemingly broke the deadlock twice—first through Akor Adams, then substitute Ademola Lookman—but VAR intervened, annulling both efforts for a foul and offside decisions respectively.

Egypt, clearly deflated by their semi-final loss to Senegal, offered little threat throughout the game. With the match finishing 0-0, a shootout ensued. After early misses from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Mohamed Salah, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali gave the Super Eagles the advantage by denying Omar Marmoush. While Akor, Moses Simon, and Alex Iwobi converted their spot-kicks, it was Lookman who delivered the decisive strike. His winning penalty sparked celebrations, ensuring manager Eric Chelle’s side departed the tournament with the bronze medal and something positive to show for their resilience.