Iwobi Reveals Mind Game With Egyptian Goalkeeper Before Crucial AFCON Penalty

|By Babatunji Wusu

Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has disclosed the brief exchange he had with Egypt goalkeeper Oufa Shobeir moments before calmly converting his penalty during Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations third-place playoff.

Nigeria edged Egypt 4–2 on penalties after both sides failed to find the net in regulation time, ending the encounter goalless. Iwobi stepped up confidently in the shootout and made no mistake from the spot, helping the Super Eagles secure victory over the Pharaohs.

Speaking after the match, Iwobi explained that Shobeir attempted a last-minute psychological tactic before the kick. According to the Fulham star, the Egyptian goalkeeper walked up to him and predicted the direction of his shot.

Iwobi recounted the moment when teammate Ademola Lookman asked what the goalkeeper said. “He said to me, ‘Iwobi, I know where you are going to go and if I save your penalty, you are going to give me your shirt,’” Iwobi revealed. “And I said no problem.”

True to his composure, Iwobi smiled, stepped forward, and dispatched the penalty beyond Shobeir’s reach, underlining Nigeria’s dominance in the shootout and sealing the Super Eagles’ win.