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Eric Chelle explains Super Eagles’ draw against South Africa
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has shared his assessment of Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with South Africa in Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Bloemfontein.
A first-half own goal from captain William Troost-Ekong put the hosts ahead, before Calvin Bassey equalized with a powerful header on the stroke of halftime to rescue a point for Nigeria.
Reflecting on the encounter, Chelle admitted it was a tightly contested match.
“It was a great game, full of intensity and aggressiveness. The pitch made things difficult, but both teams tried to play good football. Congratulations to South Africa, they played very well, and my players also gave their best.”
The coach further explained the tactical approach that exposed Nigeria early on.
“We wanted to push in the first half, keeping one-on-one situations at the back because victory was our goal. Unfortunately, after just 22 minutes, we conceded. But I’m proud of the mentality the boys showed to fight back.”
With the result, the Super Eagles slipped to third place in Group C, behind South Africa and the Benin Republic, as the race for a World Cup ticket intensifies.
