Nigeria and Egypt meet in the 2025 AFCON third-place playoff in Casablanca, seeking consolation after semi-final exits

Nigeria and Egypt will clash in the third-place playoff of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations at Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca tomorrow, January 17, with kick-off scheduled for 5 pm Nigerian time.

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The fixture follows contrasting semi-final defeats for both sides. Nigeria fell to hosts Morocco in a tense penalty shootout, 4–2, after a 0–0 draw, with goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali keeping the Super Eagles in contention for 120 minutes.

Egypt lost narrowly to Senegal, 1–0, in Tangier, conceding a late goal from Sadio Mané.

Nigeria arrived in Morocco as tournament favourites, topping their group with three wins and eight goals before advancing past Mozambique and Algeria in the knockout rounds.

Egypt’s campaign emphasised structure and resilience, topping their group with two wins and a draw and edging Benin and Ivory Coast in the knockout stages.

For the third-place match, Nigeria will be without Calvin Bassey due to suspension, though Wilfred Ndidi returns, while Victor Osimhen’s fitness remains under assessment.

Egypt may rotate their squad, with Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush expected to lead the attack.

Tactically, Nigeria are likely to press high and utilise wide combinations through Ademola Lookman, while Egypt may adopt a compact setup and counter-attack through Salah.

Historically, both nations have a storied rivalry dating back to 1960, with Nigeria winning several past encounters and Egypt prevailing in others.

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The match offers both sides a final chance to turn semi-final disappointment into continental recognition.