By Tgnews Reporter
Ademola Lookman once again proved his clutch pedigree as he stepped up to convert the decisive penalty, propelling the Super Eagles of Nigeria to a hard-fought bronze medal at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a tense 4-2 shootout victory over Egypt following a goalless 90 minutes at Stade Mohammed V.
The match was a gritty, tactical battle between two proud football nations still smarting from semi-final disappointment. Both sides made several changes from their last-four defeats, with Nigeria missing star striker Victor Osimhen from the starting XI and bringing on Lookman as a second-half substitute to unlock their attack.
Egypt, recovering from a narrow 1-0 loss to Senegal, dug in defensively but found it difficult to penetrate Nigeria’s well-organized backline.
Nigeria started the brighter, creating early chances including an Akor Adams shot deflected behind and a Paul Onuachu effort ruled out for a foul after VAR review.
Despite periods of dominance in possession, the first half remained goalless. In the second period, Lookman almost made an immediate impact with a brilliant first touch and shot that was blocked, before his later clinical finish was correctly disallowed for offside.
As legs tired and clear opportunities dried up, the game drifted to penalties without a breakthrough.
The shootout delivered high drama and redemption for Nigeria after their semi-final penalty heartbreak against hosts Morocco.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was the early hero once more, producing superb saves to deny Egypt’s talisman Mohamed Salah on the opening kick and Omar Marmoush soon after.
Nigeria’s takers; Akor Adams, captain Moses Simon, and Alex Iwobi — converted with ice-cool composure, keeping the advantage. When Lookman stepped up for the fourth penalty, he ignored the mind games from Egypt’s goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir and confidently found the net, sealing the win and triggering euphoric celebrations among the Super Eagles squad.
This bronze medal extends Nigeria’s unrivalled AFCON legacy, marking their 17th podium finish— more than any other African nation — and their ninth third-place success.
Remarkably, the Super Eagles maintain a perfect record in third-place playoff matches, now eight wins from eight (plus the 1976 group-stage bronze), underlining their stubborn refusal to leave major tournaments empty-handed.
The journey to this podium was a thrilling mix of dominance and resilience. Nigeria entered as one of the pre-tournament favourites, storming through the group stage with maximum points and producing explosive attacking football.
They powered into the knockouts with a commanding 4-0 round-of-16 win over Mozambique and a disciplined 2-0 quarter-final victory against Algeria, where Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams found the net.
Ademola Lookman shone brightly throughout, leading the tournament in goal contributions with three goals and four assists before the semi-finals, forming a deadly partnership with Osimhen that helped Nigeria rack up an impressive goal tally early on.
The dream of a fourth continental title, however, ended in agonising fashion in the semi-final against hosts Morocco. After a hard-fought, goalless 120 minutes in Rabat — where Nigeria’s attack was largely stifled by the Atlas Lions’ disciplined defence — penalties decided the contest.
Despite Nwabali’s heroics, saves from Yassine Bounou and a decisive strike from Youssef En-Nesyri handed Morocco a 4-2 shootout win, ending Nigeria’s unbeaten run and denying them a place in the final.
The third-place playoff against Egypt offered perfect consolation. Lookman’s composure under pressure and Nwabali’s crucial saves captured the fighting spirit that has defined Nigeria’s campaign, turning semi-final disappointment into podium pride.
With the 2025 AFCON now reaching its climax, all eyes turn to Sunday’s final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, where host nation Morocco will take on Senegal.
Morocco chase a long-awaited second continental crown — their first since 1976 — while Senegal aim to reclaim supremacy and secure a second title in recent years. As the tournament draws to a close, the winner will etch their name into African football history.
As Nigeria depart Morocco with bronze medals around their necks, the three-time champions celebrate another chapter in their storied AFCON journey. The focus now shifts to future glory, but for today, Africa’s most decorated and consistent podium team savours well-earned silverware.
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