Nigeria beat Egypt in shootout to claim third place at Africa Cup of Nations

By: Paul Myers

Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali saved shots from Egypt’s English Premier League stars Mohamed Salah and Omar Mamoush to put his side in the driving seat.

Alex Iwobi swept home Nigeria’s fourth kick to give his side a 3-1 lead and pile the pressure on Mahmoud Saber.

The 24-year-old ZED midfielder thrashed the ball high to Nwabali’s right to keep his team in the contest.

But Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman calmly slotted in the fifth strike to furnish them with a 4-2 win three days after they lost a penalty shootout against Morocco by the same score.

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On the eve of the final between Senegal and Morocco, both head coaches made changes to the sides that started the semi-final.

Egypt boss Hossam Hassan, a three-time winner of the Cup of Nations during a 21-year playing career with the national side, surprisingly sent out Salah for the match.  

Hassan’s Nigeria counterpart, Eric Chelle, deployed Paul Onuachu as the target man instead of star striker Victor Osimhen.

And Nigeria,started the encounter vibrantly. Onuachu’s brawn unruffling the Egyptian back line but without creating any clear-cut opportunities.

Egypt, having weathered the early storm, began to tighten their grip.

Salah, midfielder Zizo and defender Mohamed Hany combined slicklly down the right to force the Nigerians back.

But on the counterattack in the 37th minute, the Nigerians thought they had the opener.

Samuel Chukwueze’s header from Moses Simon’s cross brought a fine save low to his left from the Egypt goalkeeper Oufa Shobeir.

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Chukwueze recycled the rebound and crossed for Adams whose header took a deflection off Onuachu past Shobeir.

But the Nigerian celebrations were cut short when referee Jalal Jayed chalked off the strike for Onuachu’s foul on Zizo just before Adams’ header.

Adams demanded a penalty 10 minutes from time after contact with Egypt defender Hamdi Fathi in the penalty area but Jayed waved away his claims.

Fifteen minutes later, Adams converted his shootout kick to start the Nigerian party.

On Sunday night at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, Morocco and Senegal’s finest players will seek a second triumph for their respective countries.

Morocco won the trophy in 1976 while Senegal took the crown at the 2021 tournament in Cameroon following a penalty shootout victory over Egypt.

Source: Nigeria beat Egypt in shootout to claim third place at Africa Cup of Nations – RFI