AFCON: Nwabali stars as Nigeria edge Egypt in penalties for third place

Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali stole the spotlight with a stellar performance on Saturday as the Super Eagles claimed third place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a penalty shootout victory over Egypt in Casablanca.

As is typical of third place matches, there was not too much at stake and a drab 0-0 draw ensued over ninety minutes. Nwabali distinguished himself as the Player of the Match after saving the Pharaohs’ first two spot kicks to help his team secure a 4-2 shootout victory.

Both teams rotated in players after their devastating semifinal eliminations, with Egypt keeping superstar Mohamed Salah in the eleven while the Super Eagles rested star players Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Alex Iwobi.

As a result, the Pharoahs looked a bit more dangerous for most of the first half. However, it was Nigeria who came closest to scoring towards the end of the half when Akor Adams headed in from Samuel Chukwueze’s cross. But VAR intervened to cancel the goal due to a foul committed by Adams.

The second half was largely uneventful. Lookman was introduced at halftime to give the Super Eagles attack a spark but it did little as the two teams continued to cancel each other out in an uninspired match.

After ninety minutes, the match went straight to penalty kicks. The West Africans took an early edge after Nwabali saved from Salah and Omar Marmoush and the Super Eagles never let go of their lead, converting four consecutive spot kicks including Lookman’s winning penalty after Fisayo Dele-Bashiru saw the team’s opening attempt saved.

Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali 🇳🇬 speaks after winning MOTM in the Super Eagles’ penalty kick shootout victory over Egypt 🇪🇬 in the #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 third place match.

Nwabali saved two penalties in the shootout. 🧤🧤#AFCON #SuperEagles #AFCON2025 pic.twitter.com/3sZn5LuF5I

— Pan-Africa Football (@PanAfricaFooty) January 17, 2026

The final between Senegal and hosts Morocco will take place on Sunday in Rabat.