Nigeria and Egypt served up a tense, dramatic, and emotionally charged encounter that eventually had to be decided by a nerve-shredding penalty shootout, after both sides were inseparable over 90 minutes of regulation time.
From the opening whistle, the match was played at a high tempo, with Nigeria taking the initiative early. The Super Eagles showed intent down the flanks, especially through Samuel Chukwueze and Bright Osayi-Samuel, whose early crosses tested Egypt’s defensive organisation. Egypt, however, were composed in possession, with Trezeguet, Emam Ashour and Mostafa Mohamed trying to link up and probe Nigeria’s backline, while Mohamed Salah remained a constant threat whenever he found space.
Nigeria gradually began to assert themselves as the half progressed. Their pressure paid off in the 36th minute when Samuel Chukwueze delivered a perfectly weighted lofted ball into the box. Akor Adams rose highest, timing his jump superbly, and powered a close-range header straight down the middle of the goal, leaving goalkeeper Oufa Shobeir with no chance. Nigeria celebrated what looked like a deserved opener, but drama soon followed. A VAR check was called for a possible infringement in the build-up, and after review, the referee controversially disallowed the goal, much to the frustration of the Nigerian players and bench.
The rest of the first half became increasingly physical. Fouls and yellow cards disrupted the rhythm, with Moses Simon and Paul Onuachu both booked, while Egypt enjoyed slightly more possession. Despite some neat passing moves from the Pharaohs and a few dangerous deliveries into the box, neither side could find a breakthrough before the interval, and the teams went into halftime locked at 0–0.
Nigeria made a key tactical change at the break, introducing Ademola Lookman to add more pace and directness in attack. The substitution immediately lifted Nigeria’s attacking threat, and Lookman was involved in several dangerous moments. Early in the second half, he thought he had broken the deadlock, only for his goal to be ruled out for offside, sparking further controversy and frustration.
Egypt responded by making substitutions of their own, bringing on Mahmoud Saber and Omar Marmoush to freshen up the midfield and attack. The match opened up as both teams pushed forward, but clear-cut chances were limited. Mohamed Salah had moments where he looked dangerous, but Nigeria’s defence, marshalled well despite some physical battles, held firm. VAR was again called into action when Egypt appealed for a penalty after Marmoush went down in the box, but after review, the referee waved away the claims.
As the clock ticked down, Nigeria began to control possession with patient short passes, looking for gaps in Egypt’s defence, while Egypt relied on set pieces and quick transitions to threaten. Injuries and substitutions disrupted the flow late on, including Nigeria being forced to replace Semi Ajayi due to injury.
After four minutes of added time, neither side had managed to score, and the referee brought an end to regulation time, sending the match into a penalty shootout to decide the winner.
The shootout was filled with tension and drama. Nigeria and Egypt traded penalties in a back-and-forth contest that tested the nerves of every player involved. There were misses on both sides, including notable failures from Mohamed Salah for Egypt and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru for Nigeria, moments that stunned fans watching on. However, Nigeria held their composure when it mattered most. Penalties from Akor Adams, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi, and finally Ademola Lookman proved decisive.
The shootout ended when Lookman calmly dispatched the winning penalty into the top left corner, sealing victory for Nigeria and bringing an end to a grueling contest. Egypt fought bravely throughout the match but were ultimately undone by missed opportunities from the spot.
In the end, Nigeria emerged victorious after a hard-fought battle defined by VAR drama, defensive resilience, missed chances, and penalty shootout heroics. The Super Eagles showed mental strength under immense pressure, while Egypt were left to rue what might have been in a match that could have gone either way.
