After losing their semi-final clash to hosts Morocco, the Super Eagles will now battle for the bronze medal when they take on the Pharaohs of Egypt at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday. The third-place match will be played at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca.
Both continental powerhouses, with a combined total of 10 AFCON titles, arrived in Morocco late last year, determined to lift another continental crown. However, their campaigns stalled at the semi-final stage, with Egypt falling to the Lions of Teranga in Tangier, while Nigeria were edged out by Morocco via a penalty shootout in Rabat.
While Egypt legend Mohamed Salah and Nigeria’s talisman Victor Osimhen continue to chase their first AFCON gold medals, Saturday’s encounter offers a chance for a consolation prize in Africa’s flagship football tournament.
Unbeaten in regulation time and with 14 goals scored in six matches, the Super Eagles will feel unfortunate not to be in the final. Encouraging messages from supporters have helped lift team morale, with the squad training on arrival in Casablanca on Thursday evening. The team is also scheduled for an official training session at the Raja Oasis, training ground of African giants Raja Casablanca, on Friday evening.
Historically, Nigeria and Egypt hold the highest number of AFCON bronze medals, with the Super Eagles having won eight and the Pharaohs six. A win for Nigeria would extend that lead, while an Egyptian victory would narrow the gap.
Notably, Nigeria have never lost an AFCON bronze-medal match. Their first bronze came in 1976 at Egypt’s expense, when goals from Haruna Ilerika (two) and Mudashiru Lawal secured a 3–2 victory in Addis Ababa.
Nigeria’s most recent bronze-medal triumph was in Egypt, where Odion Ighalo’s second-minute strike sealed a 1–0 win over Tunisia in Cairo. Other bronze-medal successes came in 1978 (after Tunisia abandoned the match), 1992 (2–1 win over Cameroon in Dakar), 2002 (1–0 win over hosts Mali in Mopti), 2004 (2–1 win over Mali in Monastir), 2006 (1–0 win over Senegal in Cairo) and 2010 (1–0 win over Algeria in Benguela).
Saturday’s encounter will mark the 25th senior-level meeting between both nations and their 10th clash at the Africa Cup of Nations. Nigeria have won five of the previous nine AFCON meetings, with two ending in draws—both goalless, in Rabat in 1988 and Tunis in 1994.
One of their most memorable AFCON encounters came in the 1984 semi-final in Abidjan, where Nigeria rallied from two goals down to draw level before edging Egypt 8–7 on penalties. Their most recent AFCON meeting was in the group stage in Garoua in January 2022, when Kelechi Iheanacho’s first-half strike earned Nigeria a 1–0 victory.
Kick-off at the Stade Mohamed V is scheduled for 5pm.
