Egypt vs Nigeria: Third Place Playoff - Consolation glory up for grabs
by Thobelani Moyo | by Cydias Aujard
Egypt: The Pharaohs return to familiar territory - third place playoff
It was only a matter of time before Egypt came crumbling down in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Their shaky performance was bound to be their undoing. However, they did manage to impress in the group stages by topping Group B.
In the knockout rounds, the Pharaohs cruised past Benin after securing a 3-1 win against Benin after extra time in the Round of 16. This was enough to see them progress to the quarter-finals, where they defeated the defending champions, Ivory Coast, 3-2, despite signs of defensive lapses.
A meager attack against Senegal in the semi-finals led to their demise. Despite boasting the best attacking duo at their disposal, Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmous,h they failed to register a shot on target, let alone an attempt in the first half. In a repeat of the AFCON 2021 final, they suffered another defeat against the Lions of Teranga, this time by a 1-0 score in regulation time.
Hossam Hassan's men are no strangers when it comes to competing in the third-place playoffs. This is their sixth appearance at this stage. They boast three wins in their previous five matches. Their last appearance was in 1984, and they lost to Algeria, marking their second consecutive defeat.
Nigeria: The Super Eagles have dominated this stage
Dreams do come to an end, and that has rung true for Nigeria, which had high hopes in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The senior national team was aiming for glory in this competition, which could have seen them add a fourth crown to their trophy cabinet.
The Super Eagles did everything by the book in this competition. In fact, they were a dominant team and managed to win Group C, which comprised Tunisia, Tanzania, and Uganda, with a 100% record.
In the knockout stages, they eliminated Mozambique in the Round of 16, winning 4-0, and saw off the threat of Riyad Mahrez's Algeria in the quarter-finals (2-0).
They were met with the host nation, Morocco, in the semi-final, and their performance in that match failed to meet expectations. During that match, they managed just one shot on target from two attempts. That bluntness in the final third was their undoing as they lost 4-2 on penalties after playing out a goalless draw in regular time and extra time.
Eric Chelle's men now turn their focus to a third-place playoff. This has been their playground, having competed in seven such matches and won all of them.
Head-to-Head: Who has the edge?
Egypt and Nigeria have crossed paths 20 times. The latter holds the upper hand in this fixture with eight wins, while the former registered six wins. Six of the remaining encounters ended in a draw.
At the Africa Cup of Nations, this marks their tenth meeting. Once again, Nigeria holds the upper hand with a commanding five wins compared to Egypt's two. Their last meeting was in 2021 in the group stages, and the Super Eagles emerged victorious, winning 1-0. Find out what our experts have to say in our Egypt vs Nigeria prediction for more insights on the match.
Check out past AFCON meetings between Egypt and Nigeria:
- 1963: Egypt 6-3 Nigeria (group stages)
- 1976: Nigeria 3-2 Egypt (second group stage)
- 1980: Nigeria 1-0 Egypt (group stage)
- 1984: Nigeria 2-2 Egypt (semi-final)
- 1988: Nigeria 0-0 Egypt (group stage)
- 1990: Nigeria 1-0 Egypt (group stage)
- 1994: Nigeria 0-0 Egypt (group stage)
- 2010: Egypt 3-1 Nigeria (group stage)
- 2021: Nigeria 1-0 Egypt (group stage)