By Samuel Ahmadu
Goalkeeper Rufai Abubakar was the hero for Nigeria’s Flying Eagles as his late-game heroics in a dramatic penalty shootout sealed a bronze medal at the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.
Abubakar, who plies his trade with Mavlon FC of Lagos, made his tournament debut in the dying minutes of the third-place match, replacing regular shot-stopper Nathaniel Yakub just before the final whistle. The tactical switch by Head Coach Aliyu Zubairu proved decisive.
Calm under pressure, Abubakar delivered a standout performance, saving two penalties and ensuring Nigeria converted all four of their own spot kicks to defeat host nation Egypt 4-1 in the shootout.
Despite the deafening support from the home fans, Abubakar showed impressive composure and confidence, emerging as the match-winner and earning plaudits from fans and technical observers alike.
The result secured Nigeria’s fifth bronze medal in the history of the U-20 AFCON. The Flying Eagles remain one of the tournament’s most successful teams, with seven championship titles and two runners-up finishes to their names.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
