AFCON 2025: CAF Sends Message to Samuel Chukwueze After Penalty Miss vs Morocco
- CAF has sent a message to Samuel Chukwueze ahead of Nigeria’s third-place match against Egypt
- Chukwueze has been widely criticised for his penalty miss in the semifinal clash vs hosts Morocco
- The Super Eagles will hope to secure a podium finish after their quest to win a fourth AFCON ended in heartbreak
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sent a message to Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze just before Nigeria’s third-place match against Egypt.
Chukwueze has faced intense criticism from Nigerians after having his penalty saved in Nigeria’s 4-2 penalty defeat to hosts Morocco in the semifinal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, although there were also complaints about officiating by others.
Source: Getty Images
The Fulham loanee has been receiving backlash from supporters after the 26-year-old winger and Bruno Onyemachi missed their penalty shoot-out for Eric Chelle’s side against the Atlas Lions.
Chukwueze approached the penalty kicks without emotion as he was seen chewing gum before the infamous kick, and his reaction afterwards was said to have infuriated many supporters.
Some went as far as asking Chukwueze to retire from the national team as his actions ended Nigeria’s quest to win a fourth AFCON title.
CAF sends message to Chukwueze
Ahead of Nigeria’s third-place matchup against Egypt, CAF has hailed the brilliance of Chukwueze despite the criticisms being faced by the Super Eagles winger.
CAF took to X (formerly Twitter) to hail the exceptional performance of the 26-year-old forward as one of the players, alongside Egypt’s Yasser Ibrahim to look forward in the crunch game.
“Exceptional displays from Yasser Ibrahim and Samuel Chukwueze. Two Players to Follow in the 3rd Place decider 🇪🇬🇳🇬,” CAF posted on X.
Chukwueze has been one of Nigeria’s star performers in the group stage, creating one assist in the competition.
Nigeria vs Egypt preview
Nigeria now shifts focus to the third-place playoff against Egypt on 17 January.
Aiming for their ninth AFCON bronze medal, the Super Eagles will face a Pharaohs side that has won the bronze three times previously, CAF Online reports.
Source: Getty Images
Historically, Nigeria and Egypt have met 20 times in all competitions, including ten at AFCON, with Nigeria winning eight, Egypt six, and six matches ending in draws.
Their matchups are often closely contested, and this game promises to deliver high-stakes excitement for fans seeking a strong finish to the tournament.
Before Egypt's most recent win, Nigeria had won their last two AFCON-related meetings against the Pharaohs, which include a friendly international match in Asaba in March 2019 and a group encounter in the 2021 AFCON, both by a score of 1-0.
Egypt won their most recent meeting, a friendly on December 16, 2025. Mahmoud Sabre and Mostafa Mohamed scored in the 28th and 53rd minutes, respectively, while Chidozie Awaziem scored in first-half stoppage time.
Now, Chukwueze, alongside other key players, will be expected to step up and help Nigeria salvage pride after the AFCON semifinal heartbreak.
CAF sends message to Super Eagles
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) sent a message to the Super Eagles at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Nigeria lost to host Morocco in the semifinal of the continental tournament after a goalless draw over an intense 120 minutes at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Wednesday, January 14.
Source: Legit.ng
