Nigeria's Super Eagles secured the bronze medal at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, defeating Egypt 4-2 in a dramatic penalty shootout after their third-place encounter ended in a goalless draw at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca. This victory marks a record ninth bronze medal for Nigeria in the AFCON tournament, allowing them to end their campaign on a high note despite a disappointing semi-final exit.

The match, which notably excluded extra time, saw both teams struggle to break the deadlock during regulation. Nigeria demonstrated more attacking intent, with two goals disallowed: Paul Onuachu's effort in the first half was ruled out after a VAR review for a foul in the build-up, and Ademola Lookman's close-range header in the second half was disallowed for offside. The physicality of the game limited clear-cut chances, leading directly to penalties.

Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali emerged as the hero of the shootout, making crucial saves from Egypt's Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. His performance was particularly notable as he explained that while he hadn't specifically studied their penalties, his knowledge of the players from their club games proved instrumental. Nwabali described saving Salah's penalty as a significant personal goal and a major boost, capping a tournament where he conceded only four goals and kept four clean sheets. Despite Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missing Nigeria's first penalty, Nwabali's saves shifted the momentum, allowing Ademola Lookman to convert the winning kick and seal the 4-2 triumph.

The win helped Nigeria overcome their recent penalty shoot-out struggles, including their semi-final defeat to host nation Morocco. Head coach Eric Chelle admitted after the match that it would have been