- Nigeria claim U-20 AFCON bronze in Cairo showdown.
- Flying Eagles win third place after penalty drama.
- Egypt fall to Nigeria in thrilling U-20 AFCON clash.
Nigeria’s U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, have secured third place at the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations by beating Egypt 4–1 in a penalty shootout after both teams played to a 1–1 draw.
The exciting match happened at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium in Cairo.
How the Match Played Out
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Egypt scored just three minutes into the game when Osama Omar took advantage of a loose ball in Nigeria’s penalty area, finding the net after Mahmoud Labib’s cut-back caused confusion in the defense.
Although Nigeria started off slow, they gradually got better and began to control the game.
Their midfield players helped set the pace and created scoring chances.
Clinton Jephta and Precious Benjamin forced strong saves from Egypt’s goalkeeper Abdel Monem Tamer, while Israel Ayuma came close with two long-range efforts.
Soon after the break, Nigeria got their equalizer.
Divine Oliseh delivered a perfectly timed pass through Egypt’s defense, and Bidemi Amole calmly slotted it past Tamer to make it 1–1.
Final Minutes and Penalty Drama
The last moments of the game were full of tension.
Egypt almost won in added time when Mohamed El Sayed hit the crossbar and Mohamed Haitham’s shot bounced off the post.
Since no extra time was played, the winner had to be decided with penalties.
Nigeria remained cool under pressure and scored all four of their penalty kicks thanks to Emmanuel Chukwu, Israel Ayuma, Kparobo Arierhi, and Tahir Maigana.
Also Read: U-20 AFCON: Flying Eagles Crash Out as South Africa Books U-20 AFCON Final Spot
Meanwhile, Nigerian goalkeeper Rufai Abubakar saved two of Egypt’s spot-kicks, securing the win.
Standout Players and What This Means
Abubakar was a key player for Nigeria, and 15-year-old Ebenezer Harcourt continued to shine, proving himself as one of the rising stars of the tournament.
This win gave Nigeria their fifth third-place finish and marked their 14th time finishing among the top three in the U-20 AFCON.
It also continued their impressive history of beating host countries in the tournament.
What’s Next for the Flying Eagles
After winning bronze, the Flying Eagles will now set their sights on the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, hoping to perform even better on the global stage.
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