Nigeria ended their penalty hoodoo by beating Egypt in a shootout to claim third place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations following a goalless draw.
Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali brilliantly saved efforts from Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, allowing Ademola Lookman to settle it despite attempted mind games from Pharaohs keeper Mostafa Shobeir.
The West Africans had lost to Morocco on spot-kicks in the semi-finals on Wednesday, while their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 Fifa World Cup were ended by DR Congo in a shootout back in November.
It was arguably a deserved result given Eric Chelle’s side showed more attacking intent during the 90 minutes in Casablanca and twice had the ball in the Egypt net.
Nigeria first had a goal ruled out nine minutes before half-time when referee Jalal Jayed decided Paul Onuachu had committed a foul in the build-up after a video assistant referee (VAR) review.
Lookman, on as a substitute at the break, then had a close-range header quickly disallowed for an offside against Akor Adams early in the second half.
The result extends Nigeria’s perfect record in third-placed play-offs at Afcon, with eight victories in the match to add to their bronze medal at the 1976 tournament when a group stage was used to decide the title.
With Nigeria talisman Victor Osimhen an unused substitute, the outcome will boost the chances of Brahim Diaz securing the golden boot on home soil.
The Morocco playmaker has five goals – two ahead of Atlas Lions team-mate Ayoub El Kaabi and three more than Senegal’s Sadio Mane and Pape Gueye.
Senegal will face the hosts in the final in Rabat on Sunday (19:00 GMT), with the winners set to secure their second continental title and pick up $10m (£7.475m) in prize money.
Egypt showed six changes and Nigeria five from their respective semi-final defeats, and the only real action in the first half hour came when Nwabali saved a flicked effort from Salah and the Pharaohs captain then had a follow-up effort from a narrow angle deflected behind.
Nigeria thought they had taken the lead moments after Shobeir had made a brilliant save to deny Samuel Chukwueze, as Adams’ header from Chukwueze’s cross went in off the back of Onuachu’s head.
Yet Jayed was eventually sent to his pitchside monitor and instead ruled out the goal and showed Onuachu a yellow card for an elbow on Hamdy Fathy – even though it appeared the Egypt defender had run into the back of the giant striker’s arm.
Nigeria struggled to break down a stout Egypt defence, and with 10 minutes remaining Fathy managed to get away with a blatant shove in the back of Adams, causing the Nigeria forward to miss his kick, even if the initial contact looked to be just outside the box.
Salah sent a late free-kick from a promising position into the Nigeria wall before the game drifted towards a shootout in front of what was a healthy crowd predominantly backing the West Africans.
Chukwueze, one of two players alongside Bruno Onyemaechi to have their penalties saved by Yassine Bounou in the semi-final, was denied the chance to redeem himself from 12 yards as he was replaced in stoppage time.
Shobeir saved Nigeria’s opening attempt from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, but Nwabali stuck out a strong right hand to repel Salah’s effort and kept out Marmoush’s spot-kick down the middle with a trailing leg.
It marked another disappointment for Salah, who had his hopes of winning a first Afcon title ended in the last four by Senegal when former Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane netted the winner.
The rest of the spot-kicks from the Super Eagles were faultless, with Atalanta forward Lookman securing victory and meaning Chelle’s men can return home with something to show for their efforts in Morocco.
