CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali saved two penalties including the first from Mohamed Salah for Nigeria to beat Egypt 4-2 in a penalty shootout for third place at the Africa Cup Nations on Saturday.
Ademola Lookman scored the winning penalty.
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Egypt's Omar Marmoush and Nigeria's Igoh Ogbu compete for the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations third place game between Egypt and Nigeria in Casablanca, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Egypt's Mohamed Salah in action during the Africa Cup of Nations third place game between Egypt and Nigeria in Casablanca, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Egypt national team react during the penalty shoot out during the Africa Cup of Nations third place game between Egypt and Nigeria in Casablanca, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Nigeria national team react after winning on penalties during the Africa Cup of Nations third place game between Egypt and Nigeria in Casablanca, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Nigeria's goalkeeper Francis Uzoho celebrates after winning on penalties during the Africa Cup of Nations third place game between Egypt and Nigeria in Casablanca, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Salah and Omar Marmoush had their penalty kicks saved by Nwabali at the start of the shootout after the teams drew 0-0 in normal time. No extra time was played for the consolation of a bronze medal.
It was the Super Eagles’ second consecutive penalty shootout following a scoreless draw after losing the semifinal to Morocco on penalties on Wednesday.
Nwabali produced a strong hand to stop a well-taken penalty from Salah, then thwarted Marmoush’s effort straight down the middle with his foot.
Salah had been kept quiet by Nigeria’s defenders and was unable to add to his 11 Africa Cup goals altogether.
Victor Osimhen remained on Nigeria’s substitutes’ bench, suggesting he was carrying an injury from the semifinal defeat to Morocco. Osimhen was taken off in extra time of that game just before the penalty shootout.
The Super Eagles ended the Africa Cup on a positive note in contrast to the last edition, where they lost in the final to host Ivory Coast.
Morocco and Senegal will contest the final in Rabat on Sunday. Sadio Mané's goal was enough to send Senegal through with a 1-0 win over Egypt in their semifinal.
AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations
Egypt's Omar Marmoush and Nigeria's Igoh Ogbu compete for the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations third place game between Egypt and Nigeria in Casablanca, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Egypt's Mohamed Salah in action during the Africa Cup of Nations third place game between Egypt and Nigeria in Casablanca, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Egypt national team react during the penalty shoot out during the Africa Cup of Nations third place game between Egypt and Nigeria in Casablanca, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Nigeria national team react after winning on penalties during the Africa Cup of Nations third place game between Egypt and Nigeria in Casablanca, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Nigeria's goalkeeper Francis Uzoho celebrates after winning on penalties during the Africa Cup of Nations third place game between Egypt and Nigeria in Casablanca, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Anthony Edwards does not want to be the face of the NBA, but the Minnesota Timberwolves star is becoming a focus of one the league’s marquee matchups when he goes up against San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.
Though Edwards had a career-high 55 points, Wembanyama scored 39 points and captured a key offensive rebound in the final seconds as San Antonio held off Minnesota 126-123 on Saturday.
Wembanyama and Edwards exchanged highlights and baskets in a showdown between two of the Western Conference’s top teams.
“They’ve got Wemby,” Edwards said. “He’s supposed to be the face of the league. So, I always got to get up for that one.”
Edwards averaged 36.7 points in three games against the Spurs this season.
He banked in a 3-foot runner with 16.8 seconds remaining to complete a 19-point rally as Minnesota beat San Antonio 104-103 on Jan. 11.
Edwards almost did it again Saturday, going 19 for 33 from the field and 9 for 16 from 3-point range to score the most points of his seven-year NBA career.
“It’s an honor and it’s the best thing to have the best players go as hard as they can because, first of all, it makes us better, it makes me better,” Wembanyama said. “And it’s a show of respect and also progress stepping up because now the standings make us that we’re a respectable team.”
Wembanyama was 12 for 23 from the field and 4 for 9 on 3-pointers Saturday, falling a point shy of matching the season high he set in the season opener against Dallas on Oct. 22.
“He actually done put on a lot of weight,” Edwards said of Wembanyama. “Looking at him from last year and this year, I was trying to box him out, he done put on a lot of weight. I can see from a distance that he has worked. I can’t do nothing but respect that.”
Edwards has been a three-time All-Star since joining the league as the No. 1 draft pick in 2020, but he reiterated he would rather be himself than be the league’s featured star.
While he prefers to have the charismatic Wembanyama shine in that off-court spotlight, Edwards demonstrated Saturday he's not yielding to the 2023 No. 1 pick on the court.
Edwards drained an 11-foot, fadeaway jumper that put Minnesota ahead 110-108 with 3:28 remaining. Wembanyama responded with an 18-foot jumper. Edwards put the Wolves back up with a 25-foot 3-pointer and Wembanyama tied the game at 113 with a 26-foot 3. The back-and-forth took only 53 seconds, electrifying the sell-out crowd at the Frost Bank Center.
“I loved it. I loved it,” Edwards said, smiling. “I wish we could have just moved everybody out of the way and just checked up me versus him."
Wembanyama and Edwards didn't get to face off one-on-one, but they set up some tense final seconds.
Edwards had 26 points in the fourth quarter and Wembanyama had 12.
Edwards made the first of two free throws to cut San Antonio's lead to 125-123 with six seconds remaining but missed the second. Spurs forward Julian Champagnie was immediately fouled after rebounding the miss but missed both free throws. Wembanyama skied above Minnesota defenders to rebound the second miss and salvage the victory.
San Antonio (29-13) remains second in the West with Minnesota 2 1/2 games back in fourth.
“It was fun,” Wembanyama said. “Not the most fun, but it was a fun game for sure. And this one is worth a lot because of the way the West looks right now.”
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Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama, center, scores against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, left, and forward Joan Beringer (19) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) drives against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
