Nigeria secured a third-place finish at the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2025 after a thrilling 4-1 penalty shootout victory over the hosts at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday.
The bronze medal match ended 1-1 in regulation time, forcing penalties where the Flying Eagles held their nerve. It marks Nigeria’s fifth bronze and their 14th top-three finish in the tournament’s history, further cementing their legacy as one of Africa’s youth football powerhouses.
Egypt made an explosive start to the encounter, silencing the Nigerian camp in just the 3rd minute. Osama Omar fired home from close range following a cut-back by Mahmoud Labib that unsettled Nigeria’s defense.
Despite the early setback, Nigeria gradually gained control, creating several opportunities before halftime. Clinton Jephta and Precious Benjamin were both denied by Egyptian goalkeeper Abdel Monem Tamer, while Israel Ayuma went close with efforts from distance.Nigeria found their breakthrough shortly after the restart. A perfectly weighted pass from Divine Oliseh released Bidemi Amole, who calmly slotted home the equalizer in the 47th minute.
Substitutes Tahir Maigana and Kparobo Arierhi added fresh momentum as Nigeria pressed for a winner. However, Egypt nearly snatched victory in stoppage time, with Mohamed El Sayed’s strike rattling the crossbar and Mohamed Haitham hitting the post.With the game tied after 90 minutes, penalties were required. Nigeria were flawless from the spot with successful conversions by Emmanuel Chukwu, Israel Ayuma, Kparobo Arierhi, and Tahir Maigana. Meanwhile, Egypt’s Mohamed Atef and Ahmed Kabaka saw their efforts saved by 15-year-old Nigerian goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt, who delivered a standout performance under pressure.
The victory was a measure of redemption for the Flying Eagles, who had narrowly missed out on reaching the final. It also marked the second consecutive time Nigeria defeated a host nation in a U-20 AFCON third-place playoff.
Egypt, despite a promising tournament, failed to extend their unbeaten record in third-place matches and conceded their first goals at this stage of the competition.
