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Wilfred Ndidi Returns as Super Eagles Face Egypt in AFCON 2025 Bronze Medal Clash

Published

4 weeks ago

2:16 pm

Wilfred Ndidi Returns as Super Eagles Face Egypt in AFCON 2025 Bronze Medal Clash

Nigeria captain Wilfred Ndidi is set to return to Nigeria’s starting line-up for the third-place playoff against Egypt at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

Nigeria and Egypt will square off on Saturday following their respective semifinal disappointments. The Pharaohs were narrowly beaten 1–0 by Senegal, while the Super Eagles suffered a heartbreaking 4–2 penalty shootout defeat to host nation Morocco after regulation time and extra time ended goalless.

Ndidi, who missed the semifinal due to an accumulation of yellow cards, is expected to lead the team in what will be Nigeria’s final outing of the tournament as they battle for the bronze medal. The experienced midfielder’s return is a major boost for head coach Eric Chelle, given his leadership and influence in midfield.

However, Nigeria will be without Calvin Bassey, who is suspended after picking up a booking in the semifinal. The defender has been one of the Super Eagles’ standout performers at AFCON 2025, and his absence will be a notable setback at the back.

Despite missing out on a place in the final, Nigeria’s overall performance at the tournament has drawn praise from fans and pundits alike. Supporters have commended the team’s resilience and tactical discipline, with many calling on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to extend Eric Chelle’s contract following the Super Eagles’ encouraging showing in Morocco.

The playoff against Egypt presents Nigeria with a chance to end their AFCON 2025 campaign on a positive note and secure a podium finish against one of Africa’s most decorated football nations.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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