Nigeria’s Super Eagles clinched the third-place position at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after defeating Egypt 4–3 on penalties in a tightly contested playoff encounter.
The match ended goalless after regulation time and extra time, with both sides cancelling each other out across 120 minutes before Nigeria prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout.
Egypt’s campaign faltered when star players Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush missed their spot-kicks, allowing the Super Eagles to secure victory from the spot.
Nigeria appeared to have broken the deadlock early in the first half when Akor Adams scored, but the effort was disallowed by the Moroccan referee for an infringement on an Egyptian defender, a decision that drew protests from the Nigerian players.
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Despite several scoring opportunities for both teams, neither side managed to find the net during open play, forcing the bronze-medal contest into penalties.
With the win, Nigeria claimed their eighth third-place finish in Africa Cup of Nations history, having previously achieved the feat in 1976, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, and 2019.
The result ensured a strong finish to Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 campaign and reaffirmed the Super Eagles’ status as one of the most consistent teams on the continent.