Egypt coach admits Nigeria deserved AFCON final spot despite Morocco loss
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan says Nigeria deserved to reach the AFCON final but 'things happened otherwise' in their 4-2 penalty loss to Morocco in the semi-finals. Speaking Friday before Saturday's third-place playoff between both teams, Hassan called the Super Eagles a 'formidable opponent' and 'great squad' that had the capability to advance. Nigeria lost to Morocco in the semi-finals on penalties after a 1-0 defeat, while Egypt fell 1-0 to Senegal. Both teams now contest the bronze medal match on Saturday. Hassan noted both sides had played a friendly before the tournament in Cairo, adding 'hopefully, we'll win this bronze medal.' The third-place final kicks off Saturday as Nigeria seeks to salvage a podium finish after their semi-final heartbreak.