Nigeria beat Egypt on penalties to clinch third place at 2025 AFCON
Nigeria secured third place at the Africa Cup of Nations with a 4-2 victory over Egypt on penalties after a goalless draw in regulation time at Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca.
Nigeria coach Eric Chelle full of pride after AFCON third-place win over Egypt
Nigeria were impressive throughout the tournament as they secured their place in the knockout rounds as Group C winners with maximum points.
They easily overcame Mozambique and Algeria to secure a semi-final clash with morocco, but after holding the tournament hosts to a goalless draw, it was left to the lottery of penalty to decide their fate.
Experienced Morocco stopper Yassine Bounou emerged the hero for the home team with two penalty saves for a 4-2 win and their place in the final with Senegal.
Nigeria went on to beat Egypt 4-2 on penalties in their third/fourth placed play-off, following a hard-fought goalless draw - for some measure of redemption.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali took the plaudits this time for two super saves to deny captain Mohamed Salah and forward Omar Marmoush.
Speaking after the game, the coach expressed his pride, while also admitting his future with the team is uncertain.
"Being a coach is never easy. At one point I felt disappointed, not because the players fell short, but because they gave everything they had until exhaustion. Today, as I stand here, I feel great pride in them,” Chelle said on CAFOnline.
“I am very proud to be the coach of the Nigerian national team. This team gave everything - not only in this match, but over the past two months and throughout a full year of continuous work. What we achieved did not come by chance.
“There was a great deal of work done with the players.”
Chelle added: “Building a strong group is not easy; managing different personalities requires calm and patience, but the players responded in the best possible way.
“The players gave everything for me, for the coaching staff, and for the country. I respect them all and am extremely proud of what they delivered.”
After losing to Morocco, the coach remarked: "My future? Now I don't know – I know something, I am the coach of Nigeria and maybe in a few days my President will tell me it's finished for you, or maybe you have to continue, I don't know – for now I try to analyse this game, this AFCON."
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