By Victor Okoye, Information Company of Nigeria (NAN)
Nigeria and Egypt will conflict for AFCON 2025 bronze medals on Saturday, with pleasure, historical past and momentum firmly at stake.
Neither the Tremendous Eagles nor the Pharaohs method the third-place match evenly, despite lacking out on Sunday’s last in Morocco.
Each nations arrived with title ambitions, however fell brief on the semi-final stage after intense, draining encounters.
Egypt have been stopped by Senegal in Tanger, whereas Nigeria bowed out to hosts Morocco after a penalty shootout defeat in Rabat.
Saturday’s match gives an opportunity for comfort, legacy and psychological benefit for 2 African heavyweights.
Nigeria have scored 14 targets in six matches and stay unbeaten in regulation time on the event.
The Tremendous Eagles imagine their performances merited a spot within the last.
Head Coach Eric Chelle mentioned his gamers should reply positively to disappointment.
“I’m happy with my gamers, however disenchanted for them as a result of we have been among the many finest groups right here,” Chelle mentioned.
He urged focus forward of the bronze-medal conflict.
“The AFCON just isn’t completed. We should focus and win the final recreation,” Chelle added.
Chelle admitted uncertainty over his future, however insisted the crew comes first.
“Now just isn’t the time to query my scenario. We should reply on the pitch,” he mentioned.
Nigeria skilled in Casablanca on Thursday and can full official preparations on Friday night.
Traditionally, Nigeria and Egypt dominate AFCON bronze-medal information.
Nigeria have received eight bronze medals, whereas Egypt have claimed six.
Nigeria have by no means misplaced an AFCON third-place match.
Their first bronze got here in 1976, beating Egypt 3-2 in Addis Ababa.
Haruna Ilerika scored twice, whereas Mudashiru Lawal added a memorable strike.
Nigeria’s most up-to-date bronze was in 2019, after Odion Ighalo’s early objective sank Tunisia in Cairo.
The Tremendous Eagles additionally claimed bronze in 1978, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010.
Victory on Saturday would lengthen Nigeria’s benefit over Egypt in bronze medals.
Egypt, nevertheless, see the match as an opportunity to shut the hole.
Head Coach Hossam Hassan pressured Egypt’s successful custom.
“Egypt has a wealthy AFCON historical past, and we’re taking part in to win towards Nigeria,” Hassan mentioned.
He described the bronze match as an vital conclusion to the marketing campaign.
“We wish to finish this event on a excessive observe,” he added.
Hassan mirrored on Egypt’s semi-final exit.
“We have been near the ultimate, however fatigue and brief restoration affected us towards Senegal,” he mentioned.
He additionally linked the match to long-term targets.
“Competing at this degree prepares us for the World Cup,” Hassan said.
The fixture marks the twenty fifth senior-level assembly between Nigeria and Egypt.
Will probably be their tenth AFCON encounter, with Nigeria successful 5 of the earlier 9.
Two AFCON conferences ended scoreless, in Rabat in 1988 and Tunis in 1994.
One in all their most dramatic clashes got here within the 1984 AFCON semi-final.
Nigeria got here from two targets down earlier than successful 8-7 on penalties in Abidjan.
Their most up-to-date AFCON assembly was in 2022, when Nigeria received 1-0 in Garoua, Cameroon.
Saturday’s bronze-medal match kicks off from 5 p.m. at Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca.
For each groups, pleasure, historical past and a powerful end stay highly effective motivations.(NANFeatures)
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